Mr Kenyon -Slaney is currently a senior advisor to McKinsey & Co and has over 33 years of experience in the mining industry, principally with Rio Tinto. He is a geologist by training and his experience spans operations, marketing, projects, finance and business development and he has worked in South Africa, Australia and the UK. Mr Kenyon-Slaney is also a Partner at Audley Capital Advisors LLP a member of the board of directors of Bridon Bekaert Ropes Group, and a non-executive director of several private companies. Mr Kenyon-Slaney has a degree in geology from Southampton University​ and has completed the International Executive Programme at INSEAD, France.​

Until 2015, Mr Kenyon-Slaney was a member of the Group Executive committee of Rio Tinto where he held the roles of CEO of Energy, and before that CEO of Diamonds and Minerals. Prior to this, he variously led Rio Tinto's global titanium dioxide business, was CEO of Rio Tinto's listed subsidiary, Energy Resources of Australia Ltd, was GM Operations at Palabora Mining Company in South Africa and held senior marketing roles in copper, uranium and industrial minerals. He began his career as an underground geologist with Anglo American on the gold mines in South Africa.​

Mr Kenyon-Slaney's expertise​ includes full P&L leadership of large and complex global mining and processing businesses​, extensive Board level interaction and contribution to Group strategy during challenging markets, leadership of multiple transformation and turnaround programmes, regular engagement with institutional investors, major customers and government stakeholders, and Group accountability for India and various countries in Southern Africa, including South Africa.

Chairman Roger Davis commented: "I am delighted to be handing the chairmanship on to Harry Kenyon-Slaney whose experience, knowledge and contacts in the diamond mining world are perfectly suited to lead Gem Diamonds forward to what I am sure will be an exciting future. It has been a great privilege to be Chairman of Gem Diamonds and I wish him and the whole company every success in the future."

Mike Salamon, Senior Independent Director of Gem Diamonds, said: "The Board and management are very grateful to Roger Davis for his guidance and leadership as Gem Diamonds' Chairman, and we wish him all the best for the future. We are confident that Harry Kenyon-Slaney will be a great asset to the Group given his background and experience."