Panama Diamond Exchange Appoints First-Ever Female VP

(IDEX Online) – The Panama Diamond Exchange (PDE) has appointed Judy Meana as its vice president.

Meana was previously the PDE's Director of Communications, and will be responsible for the Latin American diamond bourse's overall marketing and communications strategy and operations. She is the first woman internationally ever to have been appointed as a diamond exchange vice president.

Prior to joining PDE, Meana was the Panamanian Communication Manager of the multinational electric company Union Fenosa. She also served as Panama's government spokesperson during two presidential terms, as Communications Director of the Ministry of Government and Justice and Communications Director of the Ministry of the Presidency. During this period, she was invited by the U.S. Southern Command to Washington, D.C., for training in information management in security and crisis situations.

"We are most fortunate to have a person with Judy's knowledge and talent with us at the Panama Diamond Exchange," said Eli Izhakoff, PDE's Founding Chairman. "With a wealth of experience in both the corporate and government sectors, she is uniquely equipped to lead PDE's communications and marketing effort."

Meana said: "PDE is breaking new ground in Latin America, and we believe it will transform the region's diamond, gemstone and jewelry sectors, accelerating growth and creating a range of business opportunities. We are on the cutting edge, and that is a wonderful privilege."

As Latin America's only WFDB-recognized diamond bourse, the Panama Diamond Exchange is the anchor of the $200-million Panama Gem & Jewelry Center, the largest and most ambitious development project ever undertaken on behalf of the jewelry and gemstone trades in the region, which today is worth $8 billion, and comprises 11,500 retail jewelry outlets located in 20 countries and 23 islands. The first phase building of the Panama Gem & Jewelry Center is scheduled to be ready by the end of the year, with up to 61 companies from Latin America and other trade centers worldwide scheduled to take up residence in the facility.

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.