Charles Stanley, who has been with the company for more than two decades, will step down at the end of February.
Longtime executive Charles Stanley is set to retire from De Beers Group after more than 20 years, the company announced Tuesday [January 10].
Stanley started at De Beers in London in 1994, working as marketing director before leaving the company in 2003 to become vice president of merchandising and operations at Harry Winston.
He returned to De Beers in 2010, just as the company was looking to launch Forevermark, the diamond brand it introduced in 2008, into the U.S. market.
Currently, Stanley serves as president of De Beers Brands in North America, overseeing Forevermark as well as De Beers Jewelers (its chain of retail stores), De Beers Code of Origin (its program for tracing its diamonds from mine to market), and the company’s grading and education services.
De Beers said Stanley has played a “key role” in growing Forevermark in North America, overseeing high-profile campaigns in the market, and developing e-commerce.
Stanley said: “It has been my pleasure and honor to have worked at De Beers for more than 20 years … I will leave with great respect for the integrity and values that define the company and the way it works with all its stakeholders and partners in this wonderful industry.”
Stanley’s retirement comes on the heels of the retirement of another longtime De Beers executive, Stephen Lussier, who stepped down in spring 2022, and as the company prepares to transition to a new CEO, Al Cook.
De Beers said Stanley will begin handing over his duties this month but remain with the company through the end of February.
Céline Assimon, CEO of De Beers Jewellers and De Beers Forevermark, will temporarily take on his responsibilities while De Beers searches for a permanent successor.
“Charles’ deep passion for diamonds and the diamond industry has always shone through, and all of us at De Beers thank him for his huge contribution over the years and wish him well for the future during his retirement,” Assimon said.
