Philippe Mellier, the French former auto executive who led De Beers for five profitable but sometimes tumultuous years, has resigned and will be replaced by a well-regarded company veteran, Bruce Cleaver. Mellier, the first outsider to head the mining company, spent five years in his role, the same as his predecessor, Gareth Penny. His departure had been rumored for months, after his name surfaced as a reported candidate to head Air France. Cleaver has worked for De Beers for more than a decade, serving as interim co-CEO prior to Mellier’s appointment and then executive director responsible for strategy and commercial relationships. He left De Beers in November 2015 to take what turned out to be a short-lived post at parent Anglo American, acting as group director of strategy and business development. Sightholders reacted favorably to Cleaver’s appointment, saying they hoped