(IDEX Online News) – The Panama Diamond Exchange has appointed diamond and jewelry industry veteran Dirk Blommaert as its Business Development Director.

 

He will have direct responsibility for advancing the position of the Panama Gem & Jewelry Center worldwide, and particular in Latin American markets as the region's principal trading center for diamonds, colored gemstones and jewelry.

 

With more than 20 years of experience in the gemstone and jewelry business, Blommaert previously served as International Events Manager of the Belgian diamond sector's leading representative body, the HRD (today known as the AWDC), and in that capacity introduced Antwerp Diamond Pavilions at jewelry trade shows around the world.

 

After setting up his own company, he served for 10 years as the business development consultant for Baselworld, Europe's leading jewelry trade show organizer, and has also consulted on various challenging projects, such as the IGT (International Gem Tower) in New York. More recently, he has focused on developing business-to-business events for Antwerp diamond companies under the umbrella of ACTYF, in developing diamond markets such as Brazil, Russia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Turkey.

 

The PDE said that Blommaert will start his position immediately, with road trips scheduled to Brazil from August 4 to 10, and to Argentina from August 11 to 14. And further road trips are scheduled: Colombia in September, Mexico in October and Bolivia in November, with others in the planning stages. 

 

The $200 million Panama Gem & Jewelry Center will serve as a trading hub for both regional and international companies and a market that today is worth $8 billion, and comprises 11,500 retail jewelry outlets located in 20 countries and 23 islands.

 

The entire complex will be located in the Vaguil Free Zone, which was established by an act of the Panamanian parliament for the benefit of the international gem and jewelry trade, and exempts transactions conducted within its area from payments of customs duties and taxes, and corporations registered in the Free Zone from paying company tax.