Diamond Fields Board Changes
Following the recent announcement that Ed Flood had agreed to join the
DFI Board of Directors, the Company is pleased to announce the additional
strengthening of its Board with the appointment of John Sisay as a
director.
Mr. Sisay was born in Sierra Leone and completed his formal education
in the United Kingdom where he graduated with a BA (Honours) degree from
the University of London and later an MBA from the European Business
School.
Mr. Sisay started his career working with De Beers in London. He also
spent several years in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the New business
division of America Mineral Fields (TSX:AMZ) (subsequently renamed Adastra
Minerals Inc. and recently acquired by First Quantum Minerals Ltd.) whose
main asset was the Kolwezi copper/cobalt tailings joint venture in that
country.
Mr. Sisay, who is a director of Sierra Rutile Limited, was a senior
member of the team responsible for bringing the highest grade natural
rutile mine in the world (Sierra Rutile Ltd.) back into production. He was
particularly involved and responsible for the successful conclusion of
financing arrangements for the mine from the EU in Brussels and also
involved in extensive negotiations with the Government of Sierra Leone in
furtherance of the mine restart. The Sierra Rutile mine was subsequently
consolidated within the Titanium Resources Group ("TRG") and admitted to
the AIM exchange in London in August 2005 (AIM: TXR). In his current role
as VP of Corporate Affairs for Sierra Rutile, Mr. Sisay is responsible for
maintaining a close working relationship between the company and all of the
Sierra Leone Government institutions, stakeholders, and international
shareholders.
Mr. Sisay is also CEO of the TRG Foundation which is responsible for
sustainable development programs for the local mining communities. Mr.
Sisay is the president of the Sierra Leone Chamber of Mines and has also
acted as an independent advisor to the Government of Sierra Leone on mining related matters.
The Company believes that Mr. Sisay's knowledge, experience and
extensive contact network in the mining industry, particularly in Africa,
(including West Africa where DFI has made gold and kimberlite discoveries
as previously announced) will prove invaluable as it aggressively advances
its diamond, gold and base metal assets in Liberia, Madagascar, Namibia and
Zambia, as well as in its search for new high quality mineral projects.
Concurrent with this new appointment, Roger Daniel, DFI's President and
CEO is standing down as a director of the Company. Mr. Daniel is relocating
for personal reasons to Australia from Cape Town, South Africa where the
Company is based, and is thus regretfully leaving the Company. He will be
staying on as President and CEO until the year end, and thereafter will be
available to DFI as a consultant to assist in the handover of
responsibilities to the new CEO. The Company is actively seeking his
replacement.
