The global diamond pipeline is at a crossroads. Great changes have taken place and there’s more to come. Technology has become a player as it now allows the production of synthetic diamonds in high volumes in an economically viable way. New centres have emerged, challenging the old and established ones. Banks, the financial engine of the whole process, have ideas of what they’d like to see happening in the worldwide industry – after all, it’s their money at stake!

So what’s going to happen to the global industry in the next couple of years? It’s going to be interesting to hear the views of many of the speakers at the two-day International Mines to Market conference organised by India’s Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) that is slated to take place in Mumbai on April 26th and 27th.

Setting the ball rolling will be GJEPC chairman Sanjay Kothari and Hemant Shah, the convenor of the GJEPC’s promotion, marketing and business development panel. Then there’s Gareth Penny, managing director of the De Beers group and Steve Hodgson, managing director of Rio Tinto diamonds, who are going to speak on ‘Rough Producers’ Strategies for the Immediate Future’. Along with them are Ponatshego Kedikilwe and Buyelwa Sonjica, the ministers of minerals and energy of Botswana and South Africa respectively, speaking on the whole issue of beneficiation and what it means for the diamond industry.

Looking at the issue of development and what the diamond industry can do to improve the lot of the many impoverished artisanal diggers, predominantly in West Africa, as well as the prevention of horrific conflicts and human rights abuse, are the Botwana government’s deputy secretary for minerals, energy and water, Kago Moshashane and Martin Rapaport of the eponymous firm.

Artisanal diamond mining

The dilemmas before diamond manufacturing centres are going to be expounded on by Kaushik Mehta of Eurostar, Shmuel Schnitzer of M. Schnitzer, Ketan Parikh of Mahendra Brothers and R. Gopalan from the Indian government’s National Manufacturing Competitive Council.

And talking about synthetic diamonds, discussing the basic issue of whether they are a threat or opportunity for the diamond industry are Ronnie Vanderlinden of Diamex and Stephane Fischler of the World Diamond Council.

ABN Amro’s global head of the diamond and jewellery division Loet Kniphorst and the State Bank of India’s chairman O.P. Bhatt, both powerhouses of diamond finance, are going to air their views on the future while Ahmed bin Sulayem, COO of the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) will join Anoop Mehta of the Bharat Diamond Bourse to discuss ‘Emerging Trading Hubs: The Future Map of the Diamond Industry’.

And finally, to discuss the issues at the very end of the pipeline, speaking on ‘Retail Markets: Revitalising the Established; Introducing the New’ are J.C. Penny executive vice president of fine jewellery Beryl Raff, Sunil Mittal, chairman of the Bharti group that has entered into a joint venture with Wal-Mart and Bhaskar Bhatt of Titan, India’s leading watch and jewellery brand.

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Photo courtesy: Diamondland.be

If you want to know more or want to attend the conference, click here.