HONG KONG, Sept. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- JNA
(Jewellery News Asia) is proud to announce that it is
honouring Anoop Mehta, President of
the Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB), with the Lifetime Achievement
Award, one of the highest accolades in the global jewellery and
gemstone industry and the most esteemed tribute conferred by the
JNA Awards.
The prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award recognises visionary
leaders who have made significant contributions to the jewellery
industry, particularly in Asia.
The award's past recipients included Nicky
Oppenheimer, former chairman of De Beers Group, and Leung
Sik Wah, Honorary Life President of the Diamond Federation of
Hong Kong, China and Chairman of
the Hong Kong Jewellers' & Goldsmiths' Association.
Letitia Chow, Chair of the JNA
Awards Judging Panel, said,
"Anoop Mehta is recognised for his
vision and strong commitment to the growth of the diamond industry.
He has stepped up to lead and steer the Bharat Diamond Bourse to a
successful launch. The diamond exchange has since been branded as
the world's largest.This is an endeavour that requires exceptional
leadership and great courage, and takes a pioneer to
accomplish.
"Today, India plays a key role in the international
diamond trade, and Anoop Mehta's
significant contributions have ensured that the diamond trade
between India and the rest of the
world is fair, efficient and robust."
Commenting on the award, Mehta said, "It is a great honour to be the recipient
of the JNA Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is testament to
the remarkable teams of people that I have had the privilege to
work with in order to bring the Bharat Diamond Bourse to full
operation. The diamond exchange is the result of the collective
effort of many. I would like to dedicate this award to these
exemplary individuals who have made a difference to the diamond
industry. I thank my colleagues and partners, and current and
former members of the Bharat Diamond Bourse committee for their
continuous support and dedication to operating the bourse to the
highest standards."
Mehta joined the jewellery industry at a young age through the
family business. He has since worked to foster the growth of the
industry through various endeavours, promoting and developing the
diamond trade for more than 30 years, with the BDB being his most
high-profile achievement.
Inaugurated in 2010, the bourse is a service-oriented,
non-profit organisation devoted to establishing infrastructural
facilities for the promotion of diamond trading, as well as
reinforcing India's role as an
international diamond trading hub for manufacturers, brokers and
agents.
Mehta has also been associated with the Gem & Jewellery
Export Promotion Council for several years and is on the committee
of the Diamond Exporters Association Ltd (DEAL). He also serves as
Chairman and Managing Director of Mohit Diamonds Private
Ltd. (Mohit Group) and is a partner
at Mohanlal Raichand & Sons, one of the oldest diamond
businesses in India.
JNA will present the award to Mehta at the JNA Awards
Ceremony and Gala Dinner, which will be held on 16 September at the
InterContinental Hong Kong. The much-anticipated awards event, the
culmination of a year-long process, will be held on the sidelines
of the world's No. 1 fine jewellery event, the September Hong Kong
Jewellery & Gem Fair.
The awards ceremony and gala dinner is a ticketed event
only.
Now on its third year, JNA Awards 2014 is led by Rio Tinto
Diamonds and Chow Tai Fook as Headline Partners, with Diarough
Group, Gubelin Group, the Israel
Diamond Institute, KARP Group, Paspaley Pearling Company, Shanghai
Diamond Exchange and Guangdong Land Holdings Ltd. as Honoured Partners.
For more information on the event, please visit
www.JNAawards.com or contact:
JNA Awards Marketing
UBM Asia (Hong Kong)
+852 2516-1683
marketing@jnaawards.com
Notes for Editors:
1. About JNA
JNA is the flagship magazine of UBM Asia's Jewellery Group.
First published in 1983, the title is the leader in providing
up-to-date international jewellery trade news with an Asian
insight. It features original, in-depth reports by experienced
journalists covering the latest developments in the diamond, pearl,
gemstone, jewellery manufacturing, and equipment and supplies
sectors.
2. About the Headline Partners
2.1 Rio Tinto Diamonds
(www.riotintodiamonds.com)
Rio Tinto operates a fully integrated diamonds business from
exploration through to sales and marketing. It is one of the
world's major diamond producers through its 100 percent control of
the Argyle mine in Australia, 60
percent interest in Diavik mine in Canada, 78 percent interest in the Murowa mine
in Zimbabwe and 100 percent
interest in the Bunder project in India.
Rio Tinto's share of the production from its three operating
diamond mines is sold through its sales and marketing office in
Antwerp, with representative
offices in Mumbai, Hong Kong and New
York. It also operates a niche cutting and polishing factory
in Perth for the rare pink
diamonds from its Argyle mine. Rio Tinto is a leading supporter of
the Kimberley Process, as well as a founding member of the
Responsible Jewellery Council.
2.2 Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited
(www.chowtaifook.com)
Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Ltd., a leading jeweller in mainland China, Hong
Kong and Macau, was listed
on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong in December
2011 and has become the world's largest pure-play jeweller
by market capitalisation. Chow Tai
Fook is now a constituent stock of the Hang Seng China 50
Index and the Hang Seng Mainland 100 Index. Its principal products
are mass luxury jewellery and high-end luxury jewellery products
including gem-set jewellery, gold products, platinum and karat gold
product, and watches.
The Group's iconic brand "Chow Tai Fook" and 85 years of
operations represent key competitive advantages of its business.
The Chow Tai Fook brand is recognised for its trustworthiness and
authenticity, and renowned for its product design, quality and
value.
The Group has an extensive retail network, with over 2,100
points of sale in more than 470 cities in Greater China, Singapore and Malaysia. It also has a growing presence in
e-commerce. The Group's vertically integrated business model
provides an effective and tight control over the entire operation
chain from raw material procurement, design, production, to
marketing and sales through its extensive retail network.
3. About the Honoured Partners
3.1 Diarough Group
Diarough Group was established in Antwerp in 1975 and owns diamond polishing
factories in China, India, Thailand and Botswana, with a network of sales offices
around the world. Diarough is known among the most professional and
respected names in the international diamond industry.
Diarough believes in building and nurturing long-term business
relationships based on mutual trust, finding solutions to business
and marketing problems, creating marketable opportunities through
innovative products and providing excellent client services.
Its jewellery manufacturing unit Uni-Design has produced many
award-winning jewellery pieces, which have been proudly worn by
celebrities on the red carpet over the years.
The Group employs over 3,500 people and is engaged in a wide
range of diamond business activities like rough trading, cutting,
polishing, jewellery manufacturing and marketing to retailers,
chain stores, global brands and private labels worldwide. Diarough
employs advanced technology and modern work speed with traditional
ethical business practices upon which the Company was founded.
3.2 Gubelin Group
Since 1854, the name Gubelin has
stood for the very highest standards in gemstones, jewellery and
watches. With its selection of the most sought-after timepieces and
jewellery of its own design, the family-run business is represented
at all the prime locations in Switzerland: Lucerne, Zurich, Basel, Bern,
St. Moritz, Lugano and
Geneva. Last November, Gubelin Jewellery established its presence in
Hong Kong.
Besides the jewellery boutiques and the Gubelin Ateliers, the group has a
newly-established Academy and a world-renowned Gemmological
Laboratory. The Gubelin Gem Lab is
one of the oldest and most respected institutions of its kind,
relied on by dealers, auction houses, royal families and collectors
since the 1920s.
3.3 KARP Group
With over four decades of experience and expertise in the
diamond trade, KARP caters to international luxury brands. Apart
from being a DTC Sightholder, the group is recognised as an
institution in the industry, using the most technologically
advanced manufacturing systems in the business. KARP manufactures a
huge array of products, from 0.005-carat goods to stones weighing
10 carats and above.
It excels in the production of certified fine makes, fancy-cut
goods and fancy coloured diamonds. The manufacturer is one of the
few companies that has achieved up to 5-micron precision in diamond
manufacturing.
3.4 Paspaley Pearling Company
Paspaley Pearling Company is the leading producer of Australian
South Sea pearls, supplying strands, loose pearls and
mother-of-pearl shells to many of the world's leading jewellery
wholesalers, manufacturers and retailers.
The Paspaley family became involved in pearling in the 1920s and
is the world's only South Sea pearl producer with origins in the
natural pearl industry. Paspaley Pearling Company Pty Ltd was
incorporated in 1953 and built its success and reputation as a
pioneer in the cultivation of South Sea pearls. Today, the Company
sets the benchmark for modern pearling practices, operating
numerous pearl farms dotted along more than 2,500 kilometres of the
remote and pristine coastline of north-west Australia.
Paspaley's harvest represents the majority of Australian South
Sea pearl production and has a well-deserved reputation for
exceptional quality.
3.5 Shanghai Diamond Exchange
Authorised by the State Council, the Shanghai Diamond Exchange
(SDE) is the only diamond exchange in China and provides diamond dealers a fair and
safe transaction venue under close supervision. It also enjoys a
favourable taxation policy and is operated in accordance with
international best practices of the diamond industry.
Established in 2000, the SDE is a non-profit, self-regulating
membership organisation and a member of the World Federation of
Diamond Bourses.
3.6 The Israel Diamond Institute
(www.israelidiamond.co.il)
The Israel Diamond Institute Group of Companies (IDI) is a
non-profit, public interest company representing all institutions
involved in the Israeli Diamond Industry. Israel is one of the world's leading diamond
centres, and the Israeli diamond industry has an illustrious
history dating back to the late 1930s.
IDI works for the benefit of Israel's diamond industry in the areas of
marketing and business promotion, international communications,
R&D, rough sourcing, professional training, publishing and
security consultancy. IDI is responsible for industry participation
in major trade fairs around the world, organising Israeli Diamond
Pavilions, receptions, press conferences and other events at these
fairs.
IDI operates a representative office in Hong Kong, which fosters trade relations with
Asian markets.
3.7 The Guangdong Land Holdings Limited
(http://www.gdland.com.hk/en)
The Guangdong Land Holdings Limited (GDLAND), with its
headquarter in Hong Kong, is
listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, and is a
subsidiary of GDH Limited, which is Guangdong Province's largest conglomerate
operating outside Mainland China.
The principal business of GDLAND is property development and
investment, including but not limited to the development and
operational management of the innovative commercial real estate,
urban complex and industrial business complex. As the strategic arm
of GDH Limited, GDLAND engages in the business development of
commercial real estate, as well as the projects of urban and
industrial complex.
GDLAND's flagship project, namely the "Buxin Project", is
planned to become the biggest and most advanced jewellery mart in
the world, including a large-scale jewellery trading and exhibition
centre along with other facilities, with a lot size of over 87,000
square metres and the construction scale (floor area) is expected
to be more than 700,000 square metres. The Buxin Project, which is
located in the Buxin area of Luohu district in Central Shenzhen, close to the Shuibei Gold
and Jewellery Base, is expected to develop the area into one of the
most influential gold and jewellery trading and exchange platforms
in China and around the world.
4. About UBM Asia
Owned by UBM plc listed on the London Stock Exchange, UBM Asia
is Asia's leading exhibition
organiser and the biggest commercial organiser in mainland
China, India and Malaysia. Established with its headquarters in
Hong Kong and subsidiary companies
across Asia and in the US, UBM
Asia has a strong global presence in 24 major cities with 30
offices and 1,300 staff.
With a track record spanning over 30 years, UBM Asia operates in
20 market sectors with 230 dynamic face-to-face exhibitions and
high-level professional conferences, 23 targeted trade
publications, 20 round-the-clock online products for over 1,000,000
quality exhibitors, visitors, conference delegates, advertisers and
subscribers from all over the world. We provide a one-stop
diversified global service for high-value business matching,
quality market news and online trading networks.
UBM Asia has extensive office networks in China, Southeast
Asia and India, three of
the world's fastest growing B2B events markets. UBM China has 11
offices in the major cities in mainland China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Guzhen and Shenzhen, where we organise more than 90
exhibitions and conferences. In ASEAN, UBM Asia operates from its
offices in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and the
Philippines with over 40 events in this region. UBM India
teams in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai organise 40 exhibitions and
conferences every year across the country.
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SOURCE JNA