Gem Diamonds appoints Harry Kenyon-Slaney as chairman

London-listed miner Gem Diamonds has appointed Harry Kenyon-Slaney as chairman and a non-executive director, succeeding Roger Davis who will step down at the next shareholder meeting on 6 June.

Kenyon-Slaney, a qualified geologist, is currently a senior advisor to McKinsey & Co, a partner at Audley Capital Advisors, a member of the board of directors of Bridon Bekaert Ropes Group, and a non-executive director of several private companies

He has has over 30 years of experience in the mining industry, mainly with mining giant with Rio Tinto.

Until 2015, Mr Kenyon-Slaney was a member of the group executive committee of Rio Tinto where he was chief executive energy, and before that chief executive of diamonds and minerals. He was also head of Rio Tinto's subsidiary, Energy Resources of Australia.

Davis said: "I am delighted to be handing the chairmanship on to Harry Kenyon-Slaney whose experience, knowledge and contacts in the diamond mining world are perfectly suited to lead Gem Diamonds forward to what I am sure will be an exciting future."