SHORTLY after announcing Rosalind Kainyah MBE as the new non-executive director of its board, Gem Diamond on Tuesday also announced the recovery of a high quality 254 carat Type II diamond from Letšeng Diamond Mine.
business
May 4, 2021
NEO SENOKO
3 min read
Gem Diamond announces new board member
The new non-executive director of Gem Diamond's board Rosalind Kainyah MBE
Gem Diamond is a leading producer of high value diamonds. The group owns 70 percent of Letšeng Mine while the Lesotho Government is holds the remaining 30 percent.
Letšeng is renowned for its production of large, top colour, exceptional white diamonds, making it the highest average dollar per carat kimberlite diamond in the world.
On Thursday last week, the group revealed that Johnny Velloza was stepping down from the board to assume a key consulting oversight role, thus making way for Ms Kainyah MBE.
“In order to meet UK corporate governance independence expectations, the company announces that one of its non-executive directors, Johnny Velloza will be stepping down from the Board with effect from May 1, 2021 and will be assuming an important technical consulting role in the company.
“The board is grateful to Johnny for the invaluable service he has given to the company over five years, both as COO and the deputy CEO and lately as a non-executive director. Following extensive search process, the company announces that Rosalind Kainyah MBE will be joining the board as an independent non-executive director from May 1,” Gem Diamond revealed in a statement on Thursday last week.
Ms Kainyah is the founder and the Managing Director of Kina Advisory Limited, a trusted advisor to boards and senior executives of global companies on sustainability and responsible business investment and partnerships in emerging markets.
She trained as a lawyer and is a member of the Bar of England and Wales and of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
She has worked with companies and organisations including Linklaters, Anglo American Corporation of South Africa, De Beers, Tullow Oil plc, the United Nations Environment Programme and ERM as well as on projects across Africa, UK, Europe, North and South America, Asia and the South Pacific.
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As a result, she has a wide network and is respected across a range of stakeholders from governments and corporates through civil society organisations and media for her professional expertise and as a woman of integrity and credibility.
“On behalf of the board I would like to thank Johnny for his significant contribution and commitment to Gem Diamond over the last five years. The company has benefitted from his business acumen, his deep technical expertise and his wide international experience and we are pleased that he will remain involved. We are delighted to welcome Rosalind Kainyah to the Board of Gem Diamonds and are confident that her independence, experience, notably within the diamond industry, and skills will be a strong asset to the Board,” Chairman of Gem Diamond, Harry Kenyon-Slaney commented.
Ms Kainyah is currently a non-executive director of CAL Bank Limited Ghana, board member of Results for Development, Vice Chairperson of the Africa Gifted Foundation and Founding President of the Chana chapter of International Women’s Forum.
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