Appointment
GIA Appoints Sriram Natarajan as Senior Vice President of Laboratory Operations
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has named Sriram “Ram” Natarajan as its new Senior Vice President of Laboratory Operations.
Sriram Natarajan, who previously served as Managing Director of GIA India Laboratory Private Limited, assumed his new role in early August at GIA’s world headquarters in Carlsbad, California, reporting to GIA President and CEO Pritesh Patel.
In this capacity, Natarajan will oversee global laboratory operations, including diamond grading and jewellery services, and shape the vision and strategy for GIA’s expanding laboratory network.

“Ram is a dynamic leader closely attuned to GIA’s mission and the needs of our laboratory clients,” said Pritesh Patel, President and CEO, GIA. “As we continue to introduce new technologies and processes to advance efficiency, and develop new laboratory products and services, his expertise, insight and experience will be invaluable.”
Natarajan joined GIA India in 2017 as Vice President of Laboratory Operations and was elevated to Managing Director in 2020. In that role, he led education and laboratory initiatives across India, drawing on more than three decades of international operational and leadership experience.
“It is an honor to take on responsibility for overseeing GIA’s gemological laboratories,” Sriram Natarajan said. “I look forward to working with our teams and clients to deliver high-quality laboratory services and uphold the standards of excellence that GIA is known for.”

GIA said a new Managing Director for GIA India Laboratory Private Limited will be announced in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Appointment
DMCC Announces Former World Bank and Banque De France Official Isabelle Strauss-Kahn As Headline Speaker For Dubai Precious Metals Conference
- Isabelle Strauss-Kahn, former senior official at the World Bank and Banque de France, to headline 14th Dubai Precious Metals Conference
- Conference returns on 16-17 November under the theme “Reshaping Global Precious Metals Markets”
- UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade confirmed as Strategic Partner with His Excellency Minister Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi to deliver keynote
DMCC, the leading international business district driving global trade through Dubai, has confirmed Isabelle Strauss-Kahn, former senior official at the World Bank and Banque de France, as a keynote speaker for the 14th Dubai Precious Metals Conference (DPMC), taking place on 16-17 November 2026 at Uptown Dubai.
Held under the theme “Reshaping Global Precious Metals Markets,” the conference will bring together policymakers, central bankers, bullion market leaders, investors and senior stakeholders to discuss the forces reshaping global precious metals markets – including geopolitical tensions, changing trade flows, central bank reserve strategies and new financial technologies.
Strauss-Kahn brings more than two decades of experience in central banking, sovereign reserve management and international financial markets. She previously led the World Bank Treasury’s Reserve Advisory and Management Partnership, advising central banks and sovereign wealth funds worldwide, and served as Director of Market Operations at Banque de France, where she oversaw gold and foreign exchange reserves and monetary policy operations. She currently serves as a Non-Executive Director on the board of the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA).
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade will serve as Strategic Partner for the conference, with H.E. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, delivering the opening keynote on the changing global trade landscape and the UAE’s role in connecting international markets.
Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DMCC, said:

“We are delighted to welcome Isabelle Strauss-Kahn back for the 14th Dubai Precious Metals Conference, more than a decade after she first addressed our delegates. Her experience across central banking, sovereign reserve management, and international financial markets will bring valuable insight to our discussions at a time when gold’s place in the global financial system is being fundamentally reassessed.”
“Geopolitical uncertainty, shifting trade corridors, and sustained central bank demand are reshaping precious metals markets. Dubai sits at the centre of the UAE’s position as the world’s second-largest precious metals trading hub, and DMCC continues to strengthen the infrastructure for trading, settlement, and price discovery. This November, we look forward to convening industry leaders from around the world to examine the forces that will define the sector’s future.”
Isabelle Strauss-Kahn, Former Senior Central Banker and Official Sector Expert, said:
“Gold continues to play a key role in the international monetary system, particularly as central banks reassess reserve strategies in response to geopolitical uncertainty and shifting economic conditions. In particular, the evolution of global bullion markets raises important questions around liquidity, transparency, market infrastructure and the relationship between physical and financial markets.

Other confirmed speakers include David Tait, Chief Executive Officer of the World Gold Council; Louis Maréchal, Senior Advisor at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); Michael Lawrence, Chief Executive of Asia House; and Essa Alfalasi, Chairman of Emirates Minting Factory.
The conference will open with a dedicated mining workshop on 16 November, followed by the main programme on 17 November that will cover gold’s evolving role in the international financial system, the emergence of new trade corridors, digital ownership, financing, provenance infrastructure and traceability.
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