Reports from the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) have trickled in on the results of the six members to be elected to the AWDC board. The six mandates were assigned as two per category, - Ashit Mehta (Arjav Diamonds NV) and Kaushik Mehta (Eurostar Diamond Traders NV) were assigned in the category of the largest diamond companies, Mehul Kothari (Sushang Exports NV) and Bharat Shah (Diampex NV) in the middle range category and Mihir Mehta (Interjewel Europe NV) and Sunil Kumar Shah (Pink Star BVBA) in the third category. The Indian representation at the board has been strong once again, as all of the six are of Indian origin.

The polls were held on 17th and 18th May, 2008, when the members of the Belgium diamond community voted. This was for the second time that the members were directly voting for their representatives, since the restructuring of the former HRD (Diamond High Council) in May 2006. “The high number of candidates, the debates and the impressive attendance at the polls clearly demonstrate the commitment of the entire diamond community. The Indian community has confirmed its engagement to continue to defend the interests of the Antwerp diamond sector, together with all the industry stakeholders’, states Philip Claes, spokesman of AWDC. There were 750 out of 1800 diamond dealing companies who cast their votes, compared to 678 in 2006.

Apart from the above six, there were another six directors appointed directly by their respective representative organisations - the diamond bourses, employers and employees of the diamond manufacturing industry. The bourses have presented Jacky Roth (president of the AWDC Board of Directors), Freddy Inzlicht and Philippe Barsamian as their three representatives. While the diamond manufacturing industry will announce candidates very shortly, with the final mandate assigned to an independent director. The formal validation of the new Board of Directors will be held next week.