The head of diamond company De Beers’ South African operations has stepped down.

De Beers Consolidated Mines (DBCM) MD David Noko will leave the company at the end of March, after four years as MD.

Barend Petersen will act as CEO from April, while the process to appoint a permanent CEO is being finalised.

Chartered accountant Petersen is a nonexecutive director of Anglo American South Africa, which has a shareholding in black economic-empowerment (BEE) company Ponahalo Investment Holdings, which has a joint 50% stake in Ponahalo, DBCM’s 26% BEE partner.

Petersen is nonexecutive director of De Beers Société Anonyme, the De Beers group holding company.

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