DPA Appoints Sally Morrison as MD of Marketing

(IDEX Online News) – Rio Tinto managing director Jean-Marc Lieberherr has been appointed as chair of the Diamond Producers Association (DPA). He is joined by

Forevermark brand CEO Stephen Lussier, who will serve as vice chair of the organization.

Industry veteran Sally Morrison takes on the role of managing director of Marketing. She joins the new organization from the World Gold Council where she most recently served as managing director of Jewellery and Marketing. In her new role, which will be based in New York, Morrison will be responsible for all of the DPA’s marketing activities, including the appointment of an agency partner.

Prior to joining the WGC, she held senior positions at JWT on behalf of the De Beers Group.

“I’m delighted to join the Diamond Producers Association at its formation,” said Morrison. “The sector faces a number of challenges, but there are also a number of real opportunities. Most immediately we need to inspire and excite the millennial consumer with the deep and meaningful sentiment that diamonds uniquely offer. The DPA will play a key role in unlocking the consumer insights that will inform how we best engage them with diamonds.”

The DPA, founded by ALROSA, De Beers, Rio Tinto, Dominion Diamond Corporation, Lucara Diamond Corporation, Petra Diamonds Ltd, and Gem Diamonds Ltd., is designed to support the development of the diamond sector.

The organization has an initial minimum annual budget of $6 million, based on commitments of founding members, with a remit that includes increasing consumer demand for diamonds, including joint category marketing initiatives; providing a reliable source of industry information, including trade and consumer research; acting as the unified voice of the diamond producers; communicating the role and contribution of diamond producers to the diamond sector and broader society and sharing best practices in health and safety, license to operate, supply chain integrity and environment management.