DUBAI DIAMOND CONFERENCE
DIAMOND 2.0: A STRATEGIC RESET
Reigniting Desire, Unlocking New Value
25 & 27 October 2026, Almas Tower
26 October 2026, SO/ Uptown Dubai
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Speakers
Ahmed Bin Sulayem
Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
DMCC
Ahmed Bin Sulayem
Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
DMCC
Ahmed Bin Sulayem is the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC and has driven its growth from a start-up of 28 member companies in 2003 to the world’s leading international business district in 2025 with over 26,000 member companies from 180 countries, employing over 90,000 people.
Tasked with enhancing commodity trade flows through Dubai, DMCC has introduced to the market a number of value-added products and services under Mr Bin Sulayem’s leadership. In 2023, DMCC was named ‘Global Free Zone of the Year’ by The Financial Times fDi Magazine, for a record ninth consecutive year.
Mr Bin Sulayem oversaw the exponential growth of the DMCC Free Zone master development in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT), a 200-hectare business and residential community in Dubai of over 100,000 people living and working in 87 towers. Mr Bin Sulayem also oversees the development of DMCC’s latest real estate project, the Uptown Dubai district.
Mr Bin Sulayem currently serves as the Chairman of the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE) and the Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange (DGCX).
The Kimberley Process officially appointed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the first and only Arab country to Chair the Kimberley Process (KP) in November 2015. Shortly after, the UAE Ministry of Economy appointed Mr Bin Sulayem as the UAE’s Chair of the KP for 2016. Mr Bin Sulayem was reappointed as Chair of the KP for a historic second term in 2024, and again in 2025 as Custodian Chair, marking an unprecedented third term.
Feryal Ahmadi
Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer, DMCC
Feryal Ahmadi
Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer, DMCC
Feryal Ahmadi serves as the Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer of DMCC, playing a pivotal role in cementing its status as the world’s leading authority on international commodities trade and enterprise.
With two decades’ experience, Feryal oversees DMCC’s long-term strategic growth, driving corporate governance excellence and fostering initiatives that amplify global trade flows through Dubai. She has been instrumental in shaping and managing the development of DMCC’s flagship Uptown Dubai and Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) business districts, as well as spearheading the innovative DMCC Smart and Sustainable District Strategy.
As an official DMCC spokesperson, Feryal represents DMCC on global platforms, engaging with local and international media to elevate the organisation’s profile and champion Dubai’s thought leadership credentials on the world stage. Her influence has earned her repeated recognition in Forbes Middle East’s Top 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen, and she was named one of Arabian Business’s Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in 2025.
As a vocal advocate for sustainability, inclusivity, and women in leadership, Feryal is a member of the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) committee, established by UN Global Compact and UN Women. She leads DMCC’s comprehensive sustainability programmes and actively contributes to a number of semi-governmental boards across the UAE.
Feryal holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the American University of Sharjah and an Executive MBA from Harvard University.
Ahmed Bin Sulayem
Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
DMCC
Ahmed Bin Sulayem is the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC and has driven its growth from a start-up of 28 member companies in 2003 to the world’s leading international business district in 2025 with over 26,000 member companies from 180 countries, employing over 90,000 people.
Tasked with enhancing commodity trade flows through Dubai, DMCC has introduced to the market a number of value-added products and services under Mr Bin Sulayem’s leadership. In 2023, DMCC was named ‘Global Free Zone of the Year’ by The Financial Times fDi Magazine, for a record ninth consecutive year.
Mr Bin Sulayem oversaw the exponential growth of the DMCC Free Zone master development in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT), a 200-hectare business and residential community in Dubai of over 100,000 people living and working in 87 towers. Mr Bin Sulayem also oversees the development of DMCC’s latest real estate project, the Uptown Dubai district.
Mr Bin Sulayem currently serves as the Chairman of the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE) and the Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange (DGCX).
The Kimberley Process officially appointed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the first and only Arab country to Chair the Kimberley Process (KP) in November 2015. Shortly after, the UAE Ministry of Economy appointed Mr Bin Sulayem as the UAE’s Chair of the KP for 2016. Mr Bin Sulayem was reappointed as Chair of the KP for a historic second term in 2024, and again in 2025 as Custodian Chair, marking an unprecedented third term.
Feryal Ahmadi
Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer, DMCC
Feryal Ahmadi serves as the Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer of DMCC, playing a pivotal role in cementing its status as the world’s leading authority on international commodities trade and enterprise.
With two decades’ experience, Feryal oversees DMCC’s long-term strategic growth, driving corporate governance excellence and fostering initiatives that amplify global trade flows through Dubai. She has been instrumental in shaping and managing the development of DMCC’s flagship Uptown Dubai and Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) business districts, as well as spearheading the innovative DMCC Smart and Sustainable District Strategy.
As an official DMCC spokesperson, Feryal represents DMCC on global platforms, engaging with local and international media to elevate the organisation’s profile and champion Dubai’s thought leadership credentials on the world stage. Her influence has earned her repeated recognition in Forbes Middle East’s Top 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen, and she was named one of Arabian Business’s Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in 2025.
As a vocal advocate for sustainability, inclusivity, and women in leadership, Feryal is a member of the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) committee, established by UN Global Compact and UN Women. She leads DMCC’s comprehensive sustainability programmes and actively contributes to a number of semi-governmental boards across the UAE.
Feryal holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the American University of Sharjah and an Executive MBA from Harvard University.
Daniel Nyfeler
Managing Director
Gubelin Gem Lab Ltd
Daniel Nyfeler
Managing Director
Gubelin Gem Lab Ltd
A geologist by formation, Daniel did his Master’s thesis in the Limpopo belt in Southern Africa. As part of his PhD in mineralogy at the University of Berne, he worked on a joint research project on superconductors at the IBM Research Lab in Rüschlikon, Zürich, together with Georg J. Bednorz (nobel prize in physics, 1987). He then joined an international management consultancy, where he worked for several years as a strategy consultant. Daniel took over the position of Managing Director of the Gübelin Gem Lab in 2003, overseeing the expansion of the lab to Hong Kong, New York and Bangkok. He also initiated Provenance Proof™, developing a range of groundbreaking tracking and tracing technologies to bring transparency in the value chain of gemstones. Most recently, he and his team developed the deep-learning software Gemtelligence™, which evaluates multimodal analysis data using neural networks to support the work of human experts in determining origin and treatment of gemstones. Daniel is a member of several CIBJO commissions and workgroups.
Edahn Golan
CEO
Edahn Golan Diamond Research & Data Ltd
Edahn Golan
CEO
Edahn Golan Diamond Research & Data Ltd
Diamond Industry Analyst & Founder, Edahn Golan Diamond Research & Data / Tenoris
Edahn Golan has spent more than 25 years analyzing the diamond industry, from rough diamond pricing to consumer buying behavior. He founded Edahn Golan Diamond Research & Data, a research and consultancy firm serving the global diamond trade, and serves as managing partner at Tenoris, which tracks U.S. jewelry sales on a per-transaction basis and provides retail and consumer trend data to the industry.
In 2018, Edahn launched the industry's first wholesale price list for lab-grown diamonds. His research has informed decisions made by major diamond miners, jewelry retailers, financial institutions, and government agencies, and he's been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Business Insider, and Les Echos.
He guest lectures at Antwerp University and speaks regularly at industry conferences, offering data-driven perspective on the questions shaping the diamond and jewelry world, from mining to the showroom floor.
Follow Edahn on LinkedIn and X @edahn, or explore his research at EdahnGolan.com and Tenoris.bi.
Daniel Nyfeler
Managing Director
Gubelin Gem Lab Ltd
A geologist by formation, Daniel did his Master’s thesis in the Limpopo belt in Southern Africa. As part of his PhD in mineralogy at the University of Berne, he worked on a joint research project on superconductors at the IBM Research Lab in Rüschlikon, Zürich, together with Georg J. Bednorz (nobel prize in physics, 1987). He then joined an international management consultancy, where he worked for several years as a strategy consultant. Daniel took over the position of Managing Director of the Gübelin Gem Lab in 2003, overseeing the expansion of the lab to Hong Kong, New York and Bangkok. He also initiated Provenance Proof™, developing a range of groundbreaking tracking and tracing technologies to bring transparency in the value chain of gemstones. Most recently, he and his team developed the deep-learning software Gemtelligence™, which evaluates multimodal analysis data using neural networks to support the work of human experts in determining origin and treatment of gemstones. Daniel is a member of several CIBJO commissions and workgroups.
Edahn Golan
CEO
Edahn Golan Diamond Research & Data Ltd
Diamond Industry Analyst & Founder, Edahn Golan Diamond Research & Data / Tenoris
Edahn Golan has spent more than 25 years analyzing the diamond industry, from rough diamond pricing to consumer buying behavior. He founded Edahn Golan Diamond Research & Data, a research and consultancy firm serving the global diamond trade, and serves as managing partner at Tenoris, which tracks U.S. jewelry sales on a per-transaction basis and provides retail and consumer trend data to the industry.
In 2018, Edahn launched the industry's first wholesale price list for lab-grown diamonds. His research has informed decisions made by major diamond miners, jewelry retailers, financial institutions, and government agencies, and he's been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Business Insider, and Les Echos.
He guest lectures at Antwerp University and speaks regularly at industry conferences, offering data-driven perspective on the questions shaping the diamond and jewelry world, from mining to the showroom floor.
Follow Edahn on LinkedIn and X @edahn, or explore his research at EdahnGolan.com and Tenoris.bi.
Ahmed Bin Sulayem
Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
DMCC
Ahmed Bin Sulayem is the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC and has driven its growth from a start-up of 28 member companies in 2003 to the world’s leading international business district in 2025 with over 26,000 member companies from 180 countries, employing over 90,000 people.
Tasked with enhancing commodity trade flows through Dubai, DMCC has introduced to the market a number of value-added products and services under Mr Bin Sulayem’s leadership. In 2023, DMCC was named ‘Global Free Zone of the Year’ by The Financial Times fDi Magazine, for a record ninth consecutive year.
Mr Bin Sulayem oversaw the exponential growth of the DMCC Free Zone master development in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT), a 200-hectare business and residential community in Dubai of over 100,000 people living and working in 87 towers. Mr Bin Sulayem also oversees the development of DMCC’s latest real estate project, the Uptown Dubai district.
Mr Bin Sulayem currently serves as the Chairman of the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE) and the Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange (DGCX).
The Kimberley Process officially appointed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the first and only Arab country to Chair the Kimberley Process (KP) in November 2015. Shortly after, the UAE Ministry of Economy appointed Mr Bin Sulayem as the UAE’s Chair of the KP for 2016. Mr Bin Sulayem was reappointed as Chair of the KP for a historic second term in 2024, and again in 2025 as Custodian Chair, marking an unprecedented third term.
Feryal Ahmadi
Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer, DMCC
Feryal Ahmadi serves as the Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer of DMCC, playing a pivotal role in cementing its status as the world’s leading authority on international commodities trade and enterprise.
With two decades’ experience, Feryal oversees DMCC’s long-term strategic growth, driving corporate governance excellence and fostering initiatives that amplify global trade flows through Dubai. She has been instrumental in shaping and managing the development of DMCC’s flagship Uptown Dubai and Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) business districts, as well as spearheading the innovative DMCC Smart and Sustainable District Strategy.
As an official DMCC spokesperson, Feryal represents DMCC on global platforms, engaging with local and international media to elevate the organisation’s profile and champion Dubai’s thought leadership credentials on the world stage. Her influence has earned her repeated recognition in Forbes Middle East’s Top 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen, and she was named one of Arabian Business’s Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in 2025.
As a vocal advocate for sustainability, inclusivity, and women in leadership, Feryal is a member of the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) committee, established by UN Global Compact and UN Women. She leads DMCC’s comprehensive sustainability programmes and actively contributes to a number of semi-governmental boards across the UAE.
Feryal holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the American University of Sharjah and an Executive MBA from Harvard University.
Daniel Nyfeler
Managing Director
Gubelin Gem Lab Ltd
A geologist by formation, Daniel did his Master’s thesis in the Limpopo belt in Southern Africa. As part of his PhD in mineralogy at the University of Berne, he worked on a joint research project on superconductors at the IBM Research Lab in Rüschlikon, Zürich, together with Georg J. Bednorz (nobel prize in physics, 1987). He then joined an international management consultancy, where he worked for several years as a strategy consultant. Daniel took over the position of Managing Director of the Gübelin Gem Lab in 2003, overseeing the expansion of the lab to Hong Kong, New York and Bangkok. He also initiated Provenance Proof™, developing a range of groundbreaking tracking and tracing technologies to bring transparency in the value chain of gemstones. Most recently, he and his team developed the deep-learning software Gemtelligence™, which evaluates multimodal analysis data using neural networks to support the work of human experts in determining origin and treatment of gemstones. Daniel is a member of several CIBJO commissions and workgroups.
Edahn Golan
CEO
Edahn Golan Diamond Research & Data Ltd
Diamond Industry Analyst & Founder, Edahn Golan Diamond Research & Data / Tenoris
Edahn Golan has spent more than 25 years analyzing the diamond industry, from rough diamond pricing to consumer buying behavior. He founded Edahn Golan Diamond Research & Data, a research and consultancy firm serving the global diamond trade, and serves as managing partner at Tenoris, which tracks U.S. jewelry sales on a per-transaction basis and provides retail and consumer trend data to the industry.
In 2018, Edahn launched the industry's first wholesale price list for lab-grown diamonds. His research has informed decisions made by major diamond miners, jewelry retailers, financial institutions, and government agencies, and he's been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Business Insider, and Les Echos.
He guest lectures at Antwerp University and speaks regularly at industry conferences, offering data-driven perspective on the questions shaping the diamond and jewelry world, from mining to the showroom floor.
Follow Edahn on LinkedIn and X @edahn, or explore his research at EdahnGolan.com and Tenoris.bi.
Hans Schwab
Co-founder
OriginAll Services
Hans Schwab
Co-founder
OriginAll Services
Hans J. Schwab is an entrepreneur with extensive experience in founding and co-founding ventures across the technology, aeronautics, and services sectors. For the past two decades, his focus has been on developing platforms and applications to combat counterfeiting and illicit trade.
Prior to co-founding OriginAll, Hans served as Chief Information Officer of a publicly traded Swiss cybersecurity company. Earlier in his career, he spent a decade in various senior roles at the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, including as a member of its Executive Board. He also held senior management positions for seven years at a Swiss multinational in the security industry.
Hans was an early member of the OECD Taskforce on Charting Illicit Trade. From 2014 to 2016, he was a
member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Human Rights and the Meta-Council on the Illicit Economy.
Margot Stuart
Co-founder
ORIGINALLUXURY
Margot Stuart
Co-founder
ORIGINALLUXURY
Margot brings over 18 years of expertise in combatting illicit trade and counterfeiting. As an early member of the OECD Taskforce on Charting Illicit Trade, she has been at the forefront of initiatives co-developed alongside international organizations such as INTERPOL and WCO.
Beyond countering illicit trade, Margot has a proven track record in establishing and scaling startups. Her role in steering operational activities at a MedTech startup has equipped her with a deep understanding of regulatory and quality mandates. Over the years, she has become a recognized subject matter expert in traceability and product data integrity, with profound insights into Sustainable Business Management.
Today, Margot co-leads the ORIGINALLUXURY initiative, uniting over 500 luxury stakeholders and +30 technology partners to promote transparency and traceability. She also serves as the Designated Operator of the DMCC Luxury Innovation Centre, a pioneering hub in Dubai dedicated to accelerating innovation in luxury, empowering brands and technology providers to collaborate, showcase solutions, and shape the future of responsible luxury.
Margot serves on the Advisory Board of Truly Precious, where she contributes her expertise in traceability, transparency, and responsible innovation to support the organization's mission of advancing trust, ethical practices, and sustainability throughout the global jewellery and gemstone ecosystem.
Margot is also an Advisor to Women in Sustainable Luxury, supporting the community in driving high-impact projects, fostering responsible practices, and empowering women shaping the future of the luxury industry. Margot also serves as a jury member for the Packaging Première Luxury & Premium Innovation Awards, lending her expertise in traceability and transparency to recognize the most innovative packaging and product design projects in the luxury industry.
Hans Schwab
Co-founder
OriginAll Services
Hans J. Schwab is an entrepreneur with extensive experience in founding and co-founding ventures across the technology, aeronautics, and services sectors. For the past two decades, his focus has been on developing platforms and applications to combat counterfeiting and illicit trade.
Prior to co-founding OriginAll, Hans served as Chief Information Officer of a publicly traded Swiss cybersecurity company. Earlier in his career, he spent a decade in various senior roles at the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, including as a member of its Executive Board. He also held senior management positions for seven years at a Swiss multinational in the security industry.
Hans was an early member of the OECD Taskforce on Charting Illicit Trade. From 2014 to 2016, he was a
member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Human Rights and the Meta-Council on the Illicit Economy.
Margot Stuart
Co-founder
ORIGINALLUXURY
Margot brings over 18 years of expertise in combatting illicit trade and counterfeiting. As an early member of the OECD Taskforce on Charting Illicit Trade, she has been at the forefront of initiatives co-developed alongside international organizations such as INTERPOL and WCO.
Beyond countering illicit trade, Margot has a proven track record in establishing and scaling startups. Her role in steering operational activities at a MedTech startup has equipped her with a deep understanding of regulatory and quality mandates. Over the years, she has become a recognized subject matter expert in traceability and product data integrity, with profound insights into Sustainable Business Management.
Today, Margot co-leads the ORIGINALLUXURY initiative, uniting over 500 luxury stakeholders and +30 technology partners to promote transparency and traceability. She also serves as the Designated Operator of the DMCC Luxury Innovation Centre, a pioneering hub in Dubai dedicated to accelerating innovation in luxury, empowering brands and technology providers to collaborate, showcase solutions, and shape the future of responsible luxury.
Margot serves on the Advisory Board of Truly Precious, where she contributes her expertise in traceability, transparency, and responsible innovation to support the organization's mission of advancing trust, ethical practices, and sustainability throughout the global jewellery and gemstone ecosystem.
Margot is also an Advisor to Women in Sustainable Luxury, supporting the community in driving high-impact projects, fostering responsible practices, and empowering women shaping the future of the luxury industry. Margot also serves as a jury member for the Packaging Première Luxury & Premium Innovation Awards, lending her expertise in traceability and transparency to recognize the most innovative packaging and product design projects in the luxury industry.
Michael Mintrone
Head of Diamond Department
SSEF (Swiss Gemmological Institute)
Michael Mintrone
Head of Diamond Department
SSEF (Swiss Gemmological Institute)
Michael joined SSEF in 2022 as a research scientist and is since April 2024 the Head of the Diamond Department at SSEF. He holds a Ph.D. from ETH Zürich in Earth Sciences, specialised in geochemistry and petrology. Today, he is mainly focusing on impurities present in both natural and synthetic diamonds to improve their identification.
He participated in the ASDI-500 development, the first automated device to screen natural colourless diamonds as small as 0.5 mm. He is involved in different research projects on natural, treated, and synthetic diamonds and in several teaching activities at the SSEF.
Rajesh Kothari
VP - Operations & Market Development
GIA Laboratory FZCO
Rajesh Kothari
VP - Operations & Market Development
GIA Laboratory FZCO
With over 35 years of illustrious experience in the global gem & jewellery industry, from sourcing rough diamonds internationally, to cutting & polishing, to driving technological innovations that have transformed the industry. His leadership has seen the establishment of cutting & polishing units across Russia, South Africa, Botswana, and multiple cities in India. From his role as Director & CEO at Sarin Technologies India Pvt. Ltd., where he pioneered the integration of diamond scanning technology into manufacturing, to VP–Manufacturing Operations at De Beers, he has always championed innovation. At GIA, as VP–Operations & Market Development EMEA, he continue setting global standards in quality, productivity, and skill development.
Michael Mintrone
Head of Diamond Department
SSEF (Swiss Gemmological Institute)
Michael joined SSEF in 2022 as a research scientist and is since April 2024 the Head of the Diamond Department at SSEF. He holds a Ph.D. from ETH Zürich in Earth Sciences, specialised in geochemistry and petrology. Today, he is mainly focusing on impurities present in both natural and synthetic diamonds to improve their identification.
He participated in the ASDI-500 development, the first automated device to screen natural colourless diamonds as small as 0.5 mm. He is involved in different research projects on natural, treated, and synthetic diamonds and in several teaching activities at the SSEF.
Rajesh Kothari
VP - Operations & Market Development
GIA Laboratory FZCO
With over 35 years of illustrious experience in the global gem & jewellery industry, from sourcing rough diamonds internationally, to cutting & polishing, to driving technological innovations that have transformed the industry. His leadership has seen the establishment of cutting & polishing units across Russia, South Africa, Botswana, and multiple cities in India. From his role as Director & CEO at Sarin Technologies India Pvt. Ltd., where he pioneered the integration of diamond scanning technology into manufacturing, to VP–Manufacturing Operations at De Beers, he has always championed innovation. At GIA, as VP–Operations & Market Development EMEA, he continue setting global standards in quality, productivity, and skill development.
Hans Schwab
Co-founder
OriginAll Services
Hans J. Schwab is an entrepreneur with extensive experience in founding and co-founding ventures across the technology, aeronautics, and services sectors. For the past two decades, his focus has been on developing platforms and applications to combat counterfeiting and illicit trade.
Prior to co-founding OriginAll, Hans served as Chief Information Officer of a publicly traded Swiss cybersecurity company. Earlier in his career, he spent a decade in various senior roles at the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, including as a member of its Executive Board. He also held senior management positions for seven years at a Swiss multinational in the security industry.
Hans was an early member of the OECD Taskforce on Charting Illicit Trade. From 2014 to 2016, he was a
member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Human Rights and the Meta-Council on the Illicit Economy.
Margot Stuart
Co-founder
ORIGINALLUXURY
Margot brings over 18 years of expertise in combatting illicit trade and counterfeiting. As an early member of the OECD Taskforce on Charting Illicit Trade, she has been at the forefront of initiatives co-developed alongside international organizations such as INTERPOL and WCO.
Beyond countering illicit trade, Margot has a proven track record in establishing and scaling startups. Her role in steering operational activities at a MedTech startup has equipped her with a deep understanding of regulatory and quality mandates. Over the years, she has become a recognized subject matter expert in traceability and product data integrity, with profound insights into Sustainable Business Management.
Today, Margot co-leads the ORIGINALLUXURY initiative, uniting over 500 luxury stakeholders and +30 technology partners to promote transparency and traceability. She also serves as the Designated Operator of the DMCC Luxury Innovation Centre, a pioneering hub in Dubai dedicated to accelerating innovation in luxury, empowering brands and technology providers to collaborate, showcase solutions, and shape the future of responsible luxury.
Margot serves on the Advisory Board of Truly Precious, where she contributes her expertise in traceability, transparency, and responsible innovation to support the organization's mission of advancing trust, ethical practices, and sustainability throughout the global jewellery and gemstone ecosystem.
Margot is also an Advisor to Women in Sustainable Luxury, supporting the community in driving high-impact projects, fostering responsible practices, and empowering women shaping the future of the luxury industry. Margot also serves as a jury member for the Packaging Première Luxury & Premium Innovation Awards, lending her expertise in traceability and transparency to recognize the most innovative packaging and product design projects in the luxury industry.
Michael Mintrone
Head of Diamond Department
SSEF (Swiss Gemmological Institute)
Michael joined SSEF in 2022 as a research scientist and is since April 2024 the Head of the Diamond Department at SSEF. He holds a Ph.D. from ETH Zürich in Earth Sciences, specialised in geochemistry and petrology. Today, he is mainly focusing on impurities present in both natural and synthetic diamonds to improve their identification.
He participated in the ASDI-500 development, the first automated device to screen natural colourless diamonds as small as 0.5 mm. He is involved in different research projects on natural, treated, and synthetic diamonds and in several teaching activities at the SSEF.
Rajesh Kothari
VP - Operations & Market Development
GIA Laboratory FZCO
With over 35 years of illustrious experience in the global gem & jewellery industry, from sourcing rough diamonds internationally, to cutting & polishing, to driving technological innovations that have transformed the industry. His leadership has seen the establishment of cutting & polishing units across Russia, South Africa, Botswana, and multiple cities in India. From his role as Director & CEO at Sarin Technologies India Pvt. Ltd., where he pioneered the integration of diamond scanning technology into manufacturing, to VP–Manufacturing Operations at De Beers, he has always championed innovation. At GIA, as VP–Operations & Market Development EMEA, he continue setting global standards in quality, productivity, and skill development.