|
|
Antwerp Diamond Sector Restructures
May 31, 2007 5:28 AM
By Avi Krawitz
|
|
|
RAPAPORT... The Antwerp diamond sector has formally disbanded its Diamond High Council, establishing the Antwerp World Diamond Council (AWDC) to take over its function.
Under the new structure, the AWDC will be responsible for the advocacy and defense of the Belgian diamond industry and trade in general, while a separate independent company, HRD Antwerp NV, will assume the council's commercial activities.
AWDC chief executive officer Freddy Hanard announced the restructuring at a May 30, 2007 press conference in the presence of Flemish Minister for Economy, Enterprise, Science, Innovation and Foreign Trade Fientje Moerman, and Antwerp's diamond supervisor Ludo Van Campenhout.
“One cannot overstate how important this restructuring is for the two organizations,” Hanard said. “In the modern diamond business environment, the challenges facing both are great and varied. It is essential that they be streamlined and empowered to act so that they achieve their goals in the best way possible.”
The AWDC will be responsible for representing the collective interests of the Belgian diamond sector with all municipal, provincial, regional, federal and international bodies, and also for the promotion of Antwerp as an attractive diamond business centre.
HRD Antwerp began operating as a commercial concern on May 2 within the framework of its five divisions. These include the Diamond Lab, which formerly operated as HRD Certificates; the Precious Stones Lab; Education, formerly the HRD Institute of Gemmology; HRD Research; and HRD Equipment, previously known as Comdiam.
The two organizations also unveiled separate corporate identities at the press conference, with the AWDC adopting the campaign slogan “Diamonds Love Antwerp” for its upcoming marketing activities.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tags:
AWDC, Economy, HRD, HRD Antwerp, World Diamond Council
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|