In which month and year did De Beers become a privately owned company?

De Beers became a privately owned company in May 2001. This transition marked a significant change in the company's structure and operations, moving from being a publicly traded company to private ownership. This shift allowed De Beers to focus more intensively on its core business and strategic initiatives without the pressures of public market scrutiny. By privatizing, the company aimed to streamline its operations and optimize decision-making processes, which are often complicated in publicly held organizations due to shareholder interests and regulatory oversight.

In the context of the options provided, the other months do not correspond to the actual date of De Beers' privatization. June 2000, for example, was prior to the privatization event, while April 2002 and August 2001 also occurred after the company had already transitioned to private ownership. Thus, May 2001 is the accurate and pivotal moment when De Beers fully became a private entity.