Vancouver, BC, Canada - December 15, 2010, Vancouver, BC, Canada - Rockwell Diamonds Inc. announces that John Bristow has resigned from the position as president and chief executive officer of the company.
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Mr. Bristow holds a PhD degree in geology from the University of Cape Town and has more than 30 years experience in the diamond business, encompassing the exploration, evaluation, and mining of kimberlite and alluvial diamond deposits in Africa and internationally.
His career began with De Beers in 1983 in Kimberley and moved to Johannesburg in 1990 where he was Manager of the Anglo American Research Laboratories, prior to establishing an independent international diamond consultancy in 1994. He was employed by the Anglo American and De Beers Group of companies for 12 years from 1983 '1994. He served as Head of International Research with De Beers in Kimberley (South Africa), and was subsequently Head of the Geology Laboratory at the Anglo American Research Laboratories in Johannesburg.
Thereafter he moved to the New Projects Division of the Anglo American Research Laboratories. In 1994 Mr. Bristow started an international diamond consultancy, and helped establish the Minerals and Energy Policy (MEPC) Johannesburg. During 1996 ' 1997 he served as technical director to Moonstone Diamonds (an Australian junior), and from 1996 - 1998 was diamond analyst for financial securities company Huysamer Stals - ABN ' Amro.
From 2002 he was a Director and CEO of Kalahari Diamonds Limited and its subsidiary Sekaka Diamonds (Pty) Limited in Botswana until Kalahari was merged with Petra Diamonds in late 2005. He has provided consulting and contracting services to the local and international minerals industry, specializing in diamonds, and has considerable local (Southern African and African) and international experience in the exploration, prospecting, evaluation and mining of kimberlites, and land and marine alluvial diamond deposits.
Mr. Bristow has wide ranging management and corporate experience, and has been active in Black Empowerment business ventures in South Africa. Most recently he was CEO of Kalahari Diamonds plc in Botswana, which successfully merged with Petra Diamonds in 2005. ■