Oppenheimer: De Beers Sale to Conclude 'In a Few Weeks'

(IDEX Online News) – De Beers Chairman Nicky Oppenheimer said the sale of his family's stake in the diamond company would be concluded within the next few weeks. "It wasn't easy to make this decision," he added.

Oppenheimer spoke on Tuesday at a gala dinner Antwerp's diamond sector held in his honor.

Anglo American offered the Oppenheimer family $5.1 billion for their 40 percent stake in De Beers.

During the dinner, Oppenheimer called on the diamond community to live up to diamonds and the unique emotional element they carry.

"Although the industry might be going through a rough period, as long as we behave ethically, the emotional impact of diamonds will take us through challenging times. The world is going to recover, and when it does, people will want diamonds as never before."

AWDC's President Stéphane Fischler underlined that solid family values of trusteeship form the basis of the Oppenheimers leadership, a link that ties together many members of the diamond industry in Antwerp and worldwide.

Antwerp's Sightholders and brokers donated €20,000 to four different charitable projects in thanks to Oppenheimer's leadership over the years.