Dominion Diamond should open books to potential suitors - shareholder

By Nicole Mordant

(Reuters) - Dominion Diamond , target of a $1.1 billion unsolicited bid, should run a formal sales process for the company and open its books to what could be several interested parties, Dominion's biggest shareholder told Reuters on Tuesday.

The board of Dominion, the world's third-largest diamond producer by value, has a responsibility toward its shareholders to consider the proposal from U.S.-based Washington Companies, as well as possible other bids, Jamie Horvat, fund manager at M&G Investments said.

M&G owns around 11 percent of Dominion, Horvat said.

"The best outcome for the owners right now is to do a proper strategic review, have people sign up who are interested," London-based Horvat said by phone. "Maybe others will come out of the woodwork," he said.

On Sunday, The Washington Companies, a group of privately held North American mining, industrial and transportation businesses founded by billionaire Dennis Washington, revealed it had made a $1.1 billion all-cash proposal for Dominion.

(Reporting by Nicole Mordant in Vancouver; Editing by Denny Thomas and Diane Craft)