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Céline Assimon Stepping Down as CEO of De Beers Jewellers February 20, 2025 (0 comments)
London, UK--Céline Assimon is set to step down as CEO of De Beers Jewellers at the end of February, with plans to pursue a new role outside the group later this year, according to WWD on Yahoo Life.
[Image via Celine Assimon/LinkedIn]
The report noted that Assimon, who joined De Beers in 2020, played a key role in repositioning De Beers Jewellers as a design-led luxury brand by expanding its creative product portfolio in core collections and high jewelry. It stated that she also helped build the brand’s global presence and laid the groundwork for launching its Rue de la Paix flagship store in Paris, scheduled to open in the fourth quarter in a recently renovated building.
According to the report, De Beers credited Assimon with revamping the brand’s look—a change that will be highlighted in a new advertising campaign set for release later this month. In a statement, Assimon said she had “thoroughly enjoyed” her role as the custodian of De Beers Jewellers over nearly five years and expressed pride in the rebranding efforts that blended African heritage with London sophistication.
Assimon succeeded François Delage as CEO of the jewelry business, which is wholly owned by De Beers, a company that took full control of the business in 2017 after acquiring the remaining stake from LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. She also held the role of CEO at the De Beers Forevermark brand until March 2024 and previously served as CEO of Swiss jeweler De Grisogono, with additional experience at Piaget and Louis Vuitton, as reported by WWD on Yahoo Life.
Her departure comes amid broader changes at the De Beers group. The report stated that Anglo American, the mining giant, is planning to sell or spin off De Beers as part of an effort to streamline its portfolio and create shareholder value. A stock market filing by Anglo American indicated that the divestiture aims to improve strategic flexibility, with Reuters reporting that the process is expected to be substantially complete by the end of 2025.
Additional context provided by the report mentioned that the challenges facing De Beers include falling prices for rough diamonds amid declining demand and growing popularity of lab-grown alternatives, along with a potential increase in the stake held by Botswana in the diamond miner.
Learn more in this WWD report on Yahoo Life.
