I would like to give thanks and acknowledge the many extraordinary people who have helped shape my career in this wonderful, fascinating industry.

I start with my grandfather, Harold French, a finance director of the then Central Selling Organisation (CSO) who knew industry legends such as Harry Oppenheimer (HFO), Bertie Lincoln, Dr Louis Murray and Gilpatrick (Gil) Devlin, who is probably the only person living who professionally still remembers my grandfather. My grandfather was the one who encouraged me to undertake my university vacation work with De Beers (at the then Venetia prospect) and later join them as a trainee geologist after graduating from the Royal School of Mines (Imperial College, London) in Mining and Exploration Geology.

During my exploration career at De Beers (and the Diamond Division of Anglo American), which began on 5th October 1985 in a caravan at Rysmierbult close to Ventersdorp in the North West Province of South Africa, I give thanks in particular to Bill McKechnie and Alex van Zyl, both icons in the field of diamond exploration. They were heady days in the 1980s and 90s with the evaluation of Venetia and Gope (Ghaghoo) and the discoveries (and then evaluation and mining) of Marsfontein, Klipspringer, The Oaks and Martins Drift (Tswapong).

From a corporate and mining perspective, Brian Ainsley (Technical Director of De Beers), one of the gentle giants of the industry, taught me so much from a technical and leadership perspective. I remember how Brian quietly arranged funding for my MBA after graduating from Durham University and how he, John Hughes, Gareth Penny, myself and others worked on a series of reflective and strategic seminars at Templeton College, Oxford as we looked at "reimagining" the diamond business at the turn of the century. Was De Beers perhaps at its zenith during these times?

One of the highlights of my little more than 20 years at De Beers was working as Nicky Oppenheimer's Personal Assistant (when he was Executive Chairman of De Beers) and secretary to Exco. This taught me so much about company strategy and the rich history of the industry and company. I was blessed to have met both HFO and Julian Ogilvie Thompson (JOT), the likes of which I have never seen or met again: true international visionary business leaders with a strong sense of compassion, humility and empathy.

A corporate career is generally full of highs and lows and mine was no different. I will never forget another great leader, Gary Ralfe (then MD at De Beers) and Bill McKechnie's kindness, care and faith when I transitioned out of Information Technology (IT) (I was GM, IT for 18 months, and that is another story) back into exploration and resource development. This transition (unwittingly) later formed the basis for my career in the junior world.

Following my rewarding career at De Beers, I have also been blessed to have led four listed diamond juniors and held executive positions in several others: African Diamonds plc, West African Diamonds, Lucara Diamond, Stellar Diamonds, Rockwell Diamonds, Shefa Gems and my current company, Botswana Diamonds. All of these companies (with the exception of Israeli-based Shefa) are/were based in Africa, which is my passion, along with diamonds.

I have worked with serial mining entrepreneur Dr John Teeling in three of these companies. He has had a profound influence on my work and career in the junior world. In fact one of the highlights of my working life was how we were able to make AK6 (Karowe) in Botswana a commercial reality, which took a considerable amount of hard, creative technical and corporate work. I also met and worked, albeit briefly, with Lukas Lundin, who along with John Teeling, are two of the very few successful serial junior mining entrepreneurs.

This anniversary is not a sign of me "hanging up my boots", as I am blessed to still have plenty of "gas in the tank". My current company is diversifying into polymetals using AI based mineral exploration technology and I am undertaking a doctorate in mining entrepreneurship with an African focus, almost as a legacy and "giving back" project following my two decades of work in this area. Finally, I hope to still be a part of the diamond industry in the future, as I remain as passionate about the industry as I have ever been.

In my view, the industry still has a vibrant future, albeit quite different to the past. It will take strong, authentic, passionate leadership, intense collaboration and a clear, marketing-based vision to make this a reality, and I believe this can happen.

In closing, I have always tried to be "up to diamonds" (a lovely phrase coined by Gareth Penny when he was MD of De Beers), and I hope those who follow will do the same.

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