|
Press Release: For the second year in a row, senior gem and jewelry executives gathered at Harvard Business School (HBS) in Cambridge to discuss challenges facing the industry during the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Global Leadership Program. From June 15 to 18, 42 senior executives from 12 countries and 14 sectors – ranging from mining to manufacturing and retail – participated in a custom program with a curriculum based on the distinguished HBS case study method. The 2015 program focused on the importance of marketing, branding, strategy and communication to a company. “The quality of the case studies, the participants, the interactions and debate, as well as the ability of the HBS professors to deliver was at the pinnacle of exceptional quality,” said John Green, the chair of GIA’s board of governors. “This program has again brought closer collaborations to our supply chain and our industry.” Among the case studies covered during this year’s program were Harley Davidson’s entrance into the India market, the iconic "Intel Inside" campaign and the building of the Real Madrid soccer team into a global brand. The program served as “a splendid platform for peers from all walks of the industry to discuss and exchange ideas, information and concerns both in business and matters regarding our industry,” said one participant. “It was humbling but also invigorating to be in the company of such great minds and leaders. I’m personally very excited for the future of our trade – I think the best is yet to come,” added another. GIA, in conjunction with HBS, initiated the four-day program in 2014 to bring together global leaders representing different sectors of the gem and jewelry to examine issues faced by international businesses and apply the experiences of other sectors and industries to their own. The program also provides an unparalleled networking opportunity for senior executives, building bridges between different sectors of the global gem and jewelry supply chain. Participants of the 2015 GIA Global Leadership Program (alphabetical order): Lita Asscher of Royal Asscher; Mihir Bhansali of Firestar Diamond Inc; Dave Bindra of B & B Fine Gems; Patrick Coppens of Rio Tinto Diamonds; Rohit Dhamani of Dhamani Group; Akshay Dholakia of Shree Ramkrishna Exports Pvt. Ltd.; Hasumu Dholakiya of H.K. Designs/Hari Krishna Exports; Pat Duncan of Helzberg Diamonds; Cathy Fischer of Sterling Jewelers; John Green of Lux Bond & Green, GIA Board of Governors; Myriam Gumuchian of Gumuchian; Keith Higley of Damas International Limited; Susan Jacques of GIA; Rajiv Jain of ABN AMRO Bank N.V.; Andrew Johnson of Diamond Cellar Holdings LLC; Stephen Kahler of Swarovski; Sandeep Kothari of KGK Diamonds; Greg Kwiat of Kwiat & Fred Leighton; Lior Levin of DIACORE; Jenny Luker of Platinum Guild International; Tim Matthews of Jewelry Television; Akarsh Mehta of Excel Success Ltd.; Arnav Mehta of Blue Star Group; Ashay Mehta of Rasiklal Hiralal & Co.; Raj Mehta of Rosy Blue NV; Viral D. Mehta of Dimexon; Thomas Moses of GIA; Kapil Nevatia of Sunjewels Pvt. Ltd.; James Pounds of Dominion Diamond International NV; Adonis Pouroulis of Petra Diamonds; Martin Rapaport of Rapaport Group; Stuart Samuels of Premier Gem Corporation; Ashwani K. Sethi of Tara Pearls; Matt Stuller of Stuller Inc.; Peter Suen of Chow Tai Fook; Aron Suna of Suna Bros. Inc.; Dov Tannenbaum of Leo Schachter Diamonds; Dennis Ulrich of Richline Group Inc.; Tommy Wu of Shire Trading Ltd.; Bridd Xu of zBird.com; Thomas Yang of YMPETUS, GIA Board of Governors and Alan Zimmer of Reeds Jewelers. 
About GIA An independent nonprofit organization, GIA (Gemological Institute of America), established in 1931, is recognized as the world’s foremost authority in gemology. GIA invented the famous 4Cs of color, clarity, cut and carat weight in the early 1950s and in 1953, created the International Diamond Grading System™ which, today, is recognized by virtually every professional jeweler in the world. Through research, education, gemological laboratory services, and instrument development, the Institute is dedicated to ensuring the public trust in gems and jewelry by upholding the highest standards of integrity, academics, science, and professionalism. Visit www.gia.edu.
|