De Beers Draws Global Interest as Anglo American Moves to Sell Stake
De Beers Attracts Interest from African Governments and Investors as Anglo American Plans Exit
De Beers has attracted interest from multiple business groups and African governments as its parent company, Anglo American, prepares to divest its majority stake in the diamond producer, according to De Beers Chief Executive Officer Al Cook.
Cook said that several major diamond-producing nations, including Botswana, Angola and Namibia, have expressed interest in acquiring equity in De Beers, alongside a number of business-led investor groups. He declined to comment on the status of discussions or identify all potential bidders.
Anglo American, which currently owns 85% of De Beers, has valued the diamond group at approximately US$4.9 billion as it looks to exit the investment as part of a broader portfolio strategy.
When asked about the company’s preferred future ownership structure, Cook emphasised that alignment with De Beers’ long-term strategy was more important than the identity of any new shareholder.
Key priorities include a continued focus on natural diamonds, strong partnerships with producer countries and expansion in core consumer markets.
India is emerging as a central pillar of De Beers’ growth strategy. Cook described the country as a “tremendously important market” and said demand for natural diamonds there is expected to double by 2030, with the market projected to reach 1.5 trillion rupees, equivalent to about US$16.7 billion.
To support this expansion, De Beers has opened its fifth Forevermark store in India—also the largest Forevermark outlet globally—in Mumbai.
The group plans to increase its Indian retail footprint to 25 stores by the end of the year, with a longer-term ambition of surpassing 100 outlets nationwide.
Financially, De Beers reported a 13% decline in revenue to US$1.95 billion in the first half of 2025, partly due to weaker diamond prices.
In response, the company is increasingly targeting self-purchasing consumers in India, as global demand shifts away from traditional gifting-led buying patterns.
At the same time, De Beers is strengthening its focus on its industrial diamond arm, Element Six, which generated approximately US$300 million in revenue last year by supplying synthetic diamond wafers used as heat conductors in data centres.
The company exited the lab-grown diamond jewellery market last year, discontinuing its Lightbox brand to sharpen its strategic focus.
While the future ownership of De Beers remains undecided, interest from both governments and private investors underscores the strategic value of the world’s most recognised diamond brand.
