Press Release: More senior industry leaders have confirmed that they will attend the launch of the Panama Gem & Jewelry Center on March 17 and 18. Among the latest are Jeffrey H. Fischer, a member of the board of governors of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Alex Popov, the president of the Moscow Diamond Bourse and Mehul Shah, the president of the Indian Diamond and Colorstone Association (IDCA).
The two-day launch event in Panama is bringing together an unprecedented group of industry leaders, as well as members of the diamond, gemstone and jewelry industries from Latin America and around the world, where they will be introduced to the $200 million Panama Gem & Jewelry Center project, which will be the first dedicated facility for the diamond, jewelry and colored stone trades in the region that includes South and Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. The guest of honor at the launch will be President Ricardo Martinelli, Panama’s head of state.
A leading U.S. diamond manufacturer, Fischer is honorary life president of both the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) and the Diamond Manufacturers and Importers Association of America (DMIA), and is a former board member of the Jewelers’ Vigilance Committee. He has served since 2008 as as governor of the GIA, a standard bearer of gemological services, research and education worldwide. He also serves as on the advisory board of the Diamond Development Initiative.
Popov, as president of the Moscow Diamond Bourse, is active in luxury distribution and retail in Russia and former Soviet Union countries. He was instrumental in establishing the first Russian private diamond and jewelry exchange and its acceptance as a World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) member. He also is chairman of the World Diamond Mark, which is a non-for-profit organization incorporated in Hong Kong that was established by the WFDB to promote consumer desirability and confidence in diamonds.
Head of an important diamond manufacturing and trading company, Shah also serves as president for the IDCA, a not-for-profit organization whose mission it is to represent and promote members of the diamond and gemstone industries from India, operating in the U.S.
The Panama Gem & Jewelry Center is anchored by the Panama Diamond Exchange (PDE), which is the first and only diamond bourse in all of Latin America.
A dedicated website has been established for the launch, which, in addition to providing information about the event and the project itself, enables participants to register online and book flights and hotels at especially discounted rates. The website is located at www.pdecenterlaunch.com, and can be viewed in Spanish and English.
About Panama Diamond Exchange
The Panama Diamond Exchange (PDE) is the first and only diamond bourse in the entire region of Latin America, including South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. It will anchor the Panama Gem & Jewelry Center, which is now under construction and is designed to serve as the primary Latin American trading center and international gateway to and from one of the world jewelry industry’s most exciting growth markets.