DiamondBuzz
Dubai Diamond Exchange Expands Board With Three New Appointment
New Board Appointments Strengthen DDE’s Expertise In Global Markets, Governance and Responsible Sourcing.
The Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE), part of DMCC, has expanded its Board of Directors with the appointment of Neil Ventura, Weizhang Liang and Wafa Jaffery, strengthening its leadership across global diamond markets, governance and responsible sourcing.
The board will continue to be chaired by Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC. The new appointments are aimed at reinforcing Dubai’s position as a leading hub for the global diamond and precious stones trade.
Neil Ventura joins as Member and Secretary of the DDE Board. He brings more than 35 years of experience across mining, trading, jewellery and technology, having held senior roles at De Beers and Anglo American. He currently serves as Special Advisor to DMCC’s Precious Stones Ecosystem.
Weizhang Liang, former President of the Guangzhou Diamond Exchange and China’s Kimberley Process focal point for over 15 years, joins the board with extensive expertise in international diamond policy and the Chinese market. He also advised the UAE’s Kimberley Process Chairmanship in 2025.
Wafa Jaffery, a longstanding member of DMCC’s Precious Stones team, was elected to the Board of Directors of the World Diamond Council in 2026. She also serves on the Kimberley Process Task Force and the Responsible Jewellery Council Standards Committee.
Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman of the Dubai Diamond Exchange, said:
The appointments would enhance the exchange’s ability to support the industry’s growth and evolution.
“The strength of the Dubai Diamond Exchange has always been built on the depth of expertise within DMCC’s precious stones ecosystem. These appointments reflect the calibre of leadership that DMCC has developed over many years and reinforce Dubai’s position as one of the world’s leading centres for the diamond and precious stones trade.”
The DDE is the world’s largest diamond tender facility and a major marketplace for rough and polished diamonds, coloured gemstones and pearls. Operating within DMCC, it provides infrastructure and trading facilities that connect miners, manufacturers, traders, financiers and retailers across the global diamond supply chain.
DiamondBuzz
First Sale Of Traceable Congolese Artisanal Diamonds Exceeds Market Expectations: AWDC
OrigemA Initiative Delivers Above-Market Returns, With Proceeds Set To Support Community Development and Artisanal Mining Livelihoods In The DRC.
The first international sale of fully traceable artisanal diamonds from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has delivered prices slightly above market estimates, according to a statement from the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC).
The 103.77-carat parcel, sold through a tender at Antwerp-based Bonas-Couzyn under the Belgian-Congolese OrigemA project, achieved an average price of US$65.5 per carat. Proceeds from the sale will go entirely to the COMIDIANZ cooperative, which mined the diamonds, and will be reinvested in the local community of more than 20,000 people.
OrigemA, an initiative of the AWDC, gives artisanal mining cooperatives in the DRC direct access to international markets, helping them secure competitive prices and reducing reliance on a limited number of local buyers.
Karen Rentmeesters, CEO of AWDC said :
“The prices achieved in this sale once again confirm Antwerp’s unique position as a global trading hub for rough diamonds. The presence of a large pool of international buyers creates maximum competition, resulting in the best possible market price for the goods.”
Rentmeesters said the results highlighted the benefits of providing artisanal producers with direct market access. “These results demonstrate that direct access to the international market can make a meaningful difference for artisanal producers. We hope this success will accelerate the further rollout of the OrigemA project, so that diamonds from other participating cooperatives can also be brought to market via Antwerp in the near future.”
The sale results were announced in the presence of Sylvain Mwepu Kidenga, representing the Congolese Centre d’Expertise d’Evaluation et de Certification (CEEC). Funds generated from the sale will support the development of the mine and finance projects related to agriculture, healthcare and education in the region.
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