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Debmarine Namibia, the diamond recovery joint venture owned in equal shares by the Government of the Republic of Namibia and De Beers Group, today announced the appointment of Willy Mertens as its new Chief Executive Officer, with effect from 1 November 2022. Mr Mertens will succeed Otto Shikongo, who retires from the business at the end of this year, and who has been at the helm of Debmarine Namibia since 2004.
Mr Mertens is currently the Chief Financial Officer of Debmarine Namibia with oversight accountability for Namdeb Holdings (Pty) Ltd. He is a Chartered Accountant by training and brings to his new role a wealth of corporate experience spanning more than 20 years.
Debmarine Namibia Board Chairperson, Dr. Ndeulipula Hamutumwa said: “We are pleased to announce the appointment of Willy Mertens as CEO. Not only does Mr Mertens have a deep understanding of our business, he also has an acute appreciation of the strategic role of Debmarine Namibia within the broader context of Namibia.
“We also wish to thank Otto Shikongo for his invaluable service to Debmarine Namibia. His leadership, engineering knowledge and business acumen has steered the organisation through many achievements. These include the acquisition of a world-class diamond recovery fleet, including the mv SS Nujoma, the world’s first custom-built diamond sampling vessel, as well as the recently inaugurated mv Benguela Gem.”
Bruce Cleaver, CEO, De Beers Group, said: “I extend my sincere appreciation to Otto Shikongo, who has played a pivotal role in making Debmarine Namibia the world class leader it is today. On behalf of everyone at De Beers Group, I thank Otto for his 35 years of outstanding service. At the same time, we are delighted that Willy will succeed Otto. Willy has been a key member of the Debmarine Namibia leadership team for the last 10 years, and I look forward to his leadership as CEO.”
To ensure a smooth transition, there will be a handover period with Willy Mertens and Otto Shikongo to the end of this year. In addition to his Chartered Accounting training, Willy Mertens also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, as well as numerous professional executive training qualifications, including from the London Business School.
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Notes to Editors
High resolution images of Willy Mertens and Otto Shikongo are available to download here.
Contact
Debmarine Namibia
Stella Ipinge
Communication Manager, Debmarine Namibia
Tel +264 61 297 8643
[email protected]
De Beers Group Press office
Tel +44 (0) 20 7430 3434
[email protected]
About Debmarine Namibia
Debmarine Namibia is a joint venture marine diamond prospecting and recovery company, owned in equal shares by the Government of the Republic of Namibia and De Beers Group. Debmarine Namibia began operations in January 2002 and recovers marine diamonds off the southern coast of Namibia. Debmarine Namibia is ISO 45001 and ISO 14001certified, in line with its commitment to safety and environmental management. Debmarine Namibia is a recognised world leader in marine diamond exploration and recovery.
About De Beers Group
Established in 1888, De Beers Group is the world’s leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining and marketing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world’s largest diamond producer by value, with diamond mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. Innovation sits at the heart of the De Beers Group strategy as it develops a portfolio of offers, including its jewellery houses, De Beers Jewellers and De Beers Forevermark, and other pioneering solutions, such as diamond sourcing and traceability initiatives GemFair and Tracr. De Beers Group is committed to ‘Building Forever,’ a holistic and integrated approach for creating a better future – where safety, human rights and ethical integrity continue to be paramount; where communities thrive and the environment is protected; and where there are equal opportunities for all. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit www.debeersgroup.com.