Senior leadership from the World Gold Council’s London head office visited the Indian Institute of Gems & Jewellery (IIGJ), Mumbai, on 21 April 2026, with a clear focus on advancing gold jewellery innovation through design, technology and new product concepts. The visit explored collaboration on talent development alongside innovation-led initiatives, with the delegation also interacting with students exhibiting their final-year ‘Glimpz’ projects.

The WGC delegation included Nigel Ruth, COO, and Terry Heymann, Chief Strategy Officer, along with Sachin Jain, Regional CEO, India; Rakhi Khanna, Global Head of Corporate Communications; and Arti Saxena, Director and Head of Marketing, India. They were received by Milan Chokshi, Chairman, IIGJ; Debasish Biswas, CEO, IIGJ; and Dolly Choudhary, Director – Promotions, Marketing & Business Development, GJEPC.

In his opening remarks, Ruth emphasised that the focus remains on keeping jewellery relevant for younger consumers, noting that there is no better place than India to understand this dynamic. He added that the intent was to listen and learn from the market. Echoing this sentiment, Heymann expressed his enthusiasm about being back in India, highlighting that the future of the sector lies with the youth. He acknowledged India’s potential to lead the way and conveyed a keen interest in gaining a deeper understanding of the work being done and engaging with it in a meaningful manner.

Sachin Jain said:

“I was genuinely blown away by the creativity of the students, not just the products they created, but the confidence and conviction with which they presented their ideas. That level of belief comes from strong training and discipline. As a team, we felt it was important for us to be part of this journey, to understand what you are building here and explore how we can support it in a meaningful, long-term way.”

Milan Chokshi added:

“India has immense potential in every sense. This is where you can truly influence and shape the future of the jewellery industry. As the industry undergoes structural change in design, retail and consumer behaviour, institutes like ours must drive that reset. The opportunity lies in harnessing this talent, channelling its enthusiasm, and creating meaningful impact.”

Discussions focused on integrating gold into curricula, design hackathons, artisan upskilling, and building global-facing jewellery narratives. GJEPC highlighted opportunities to scale Indian craftsmanship globally through platforms like The Artisan Awards and innovation-led initiatives.