Meeting for the first time in formal session after the close of the 2015 CIBJO Congress in Salvador, Brazil, CIBJO’s new Board of Directors has decided to draft practical guidance, based on CIBJO Blue Book recommendations, for the trade and especially retailers, on the standards and systems that should be expected from grading laboratories.

The Board of Directors also agreed to undertake a robust educational programme targeting retailers that use grading reports when selling gemstones.

Earlier the organisation’s General Assembly elected Gaetano Cavalieri as CIBJO President for another two-year term. Roland Naftule and Eli Avidar were elected to serve as CIBJO’s Vice Presidents. The General Assembly also elected a new board of directors, and officers to head the various sectors and commissions.

The General Assembly also confirmed that the 2016 CIBJO Congress will be held in Yerevan, Armenia, hosted by the Government of Armenia and the Armenian Jewellers Association.

CIBJO’s leadership for the 2015-17 period is as follows:

HONORARY PRESIDENT

Mr. Eli Izhakoff, USA

PRESIDENT
Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri, Italy

VICE PRESIDENTS
Mr. Roland Naftule, USA
Mr. Eli Avidar, Israel

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND TREASURER
Mr. Marc-Alain Christen, Switzerland

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri, Italy
Mr. Roland Naftule, USA
Mr. Eli Avidar, Israel
Mr. Marc Alain Christen, Switzerland
Mr. Charles Abouchar, Switzerland
Mrs. Ingebjorg Alfsen, Norway
Mr. Nilam Alawdeen, Japan
Ms. Stella Layton, UK
Mr. Uri Ariel, Canada
Mr. Gerard Atlan, France
Mr. Giuseppe Aquilino, Italy
Mrs. Karina Ratzlaff, Germany
Mr. James Courage, UK
Mr. Gagik Gevorkian, Russia
Mr. Ari Epstein, Belgium
Mr. Corrado Facco, Italy
Ms. Cecilia Gardner, USA
Mr. Jacques Branellec, Philippines
Mr. Douglas Hucker, USA
Mr. Jonathan Kendall, UK
Mr. Mehul Durlabhji, India
Mr. Reuven Kaufman, USA
Mr. Nicholas Paspaley, Australia
Mr. Ernie Blom, South Africa
Mr. Udi Sheintal, Israel
Mr. Avi Paz, Israel
Mr. Erik Jens, Netherlands
Mr. Vichian Veerasakri, Thailand
Mr. Benjamin Hackman, USA
Mr. Ruben Bindra, USA

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri, Italy
Mr. Roland Naftule, USA
Mr. Eli Avidar, Israel
Mr. Marc Alain Christen, Switzerland
Mr. Gerard Atlan, France
Mr. James Courage, UK
Mr. Avi Paz, Israel
Mr. Corrado Facco, Italy
Ms. Cecilia Gardner, USA
Mr. Douglas Hucker, USA
Mr. Jonathan Kendall, UK
Mr. Gagik Gevorkian, Russia
Mrs. Karina Ratzlaff, Germany
Mr. Udi Sheintal, Israel

PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL
Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri, Italy
Mr. Eli Izhakoff, USA
Mr. Avi Paz, Israel
Mr. Roland Naftule, USA
Mr. Marc-Alain Christen, Switzerland
Mr. Eli Avidar, Israel
Mr. James Courage, UK
Mr. Douglas Hucker, USA
Mr. Jonathan Kendall, UK
Mr. Moti Besser, Israel

SECTOR A
President:
Mr. Roland Naftule, USA
Vice-President: Mr. Thomas Lind, Germany
Vice-President: Mr. Gerard Grospiron, France

SECTOR B
President:
Mr. Willie Hamilton, UK
Vice-President: Mr. Michael Rawlinson, UK
Vice-President: Ms. Karina Sena, Brazil

SECTOR C
President:
Ms. Bernadette Pinet-Cuoq, France
Executive Vice-President: Mr. Simon Rainer, UK
Vice-President: Ms. Carla Pinheiro, Brazil
Vice-President: Ms. Karina Ratzlaff, Germany

ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE NETWORKING COMMISSION
President:
Mr. Simon Rainer, UK
Vice-President: Ms. Sandrine Marcot, France

COLOURED STONE COMMISSION
President:
Mr. Nilam Alawdeen, Japan
Vice-President: Mr. Charles Abouchar, Switzerland
Vice-President:
Mr. Douglas Hucker, USA

DIAMOND COMMISSION
President:
Mr. Udi Sheintal, Israel
Vice-President: Mr. Moti Besser, Israel
Vice-President: Mr. Harry Levy, UK

ETHICS COMMISSION
President:
Ms. Cecilia Gardner, USA
Vice-President: Mr. Udi Sheintal, Israel
Vice-President: Mr. James Riley, UK

GEMMOLOGICAL COMMISSION
President:
Mr. Hanco Zwaan, Netherlands
Vice-President: Dr. Claudio Milisenda, Germany
Vice-President: Dr. Pornsawat Whatanakul, Thailand

INTERNATIONAL TRADE SHOW COMMISSION
President
: Mr. Corrado Facco, Italy
Vice-President: Mr. Adam Lau, Hong Kong
Vice-President: Mr. Jonathan Kendall, UK

MARKETING & EDUCATION COMMISSION
President
: Mr. Jonathan Kendall, UK
Vice-President: Mr. James Riley, UK
Vice-President: Mr. Thomas Lind, Germany

PEARL COMMISSION
President:
Mr. Kenneth Scarratt, Thailand
Vice-President: Mr. Shigeru Akamatsu, Japan
Vice-President: Mr. Jacques Branellec, Philippines
Vice-President: Mr. Peter Bracher, Australia
Vice-President: Mr. Olivier Segura, France

PRECIOUS METALS COMMISSION
President:
Ms. Stella Layton, UK
Vice-President: Mrs. Karina Ratzlaff, Germany
Vice-President: Mr. James Courage, UK

CORAL COMMISSION
President:
Mr. Enzo Liverino, Italy
Vice-President: Ms. Pornsawat Whatanakul, Thailand
Vice-President: Mr. George Lu, Taiwan
Vice-President: Mr. Fabio D’Amico, Italy

INTERNAL FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE
Mr. Marc Alain Christen, Switzerland
Mrs. Karina Ratzlaff, Germany
Mr. Douglas Hucker, USA
Mr. Jonathan Kendall, UK

Photo Caption: At the podium during the General Assembly session (from left): Hécliton Santini Henriques, President of IBGM; Karina Sena, President of Progemas; Roland Naftule, CIBJO’s Vice President and President of Sector A; Richard Peplow, CIBJO’s outgoing Vice President; Gaetano Cavalieri, CIBJO President; and Marc-Alain Christen, CIBJO’s Chief Financial Officer.