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Associate Partners Strategic Partner

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Gold Sponser

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Silver Sponser
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ICA President’s Message

Dear Colleagues of the Gem and jewellery industry,
It is with great pleasure that we gather here today for another ICA Con-
gress, this time in the beautiful and hospitable Thailand. A country with a rich
history and present in the production, processing and trading of colored gem-
stones. First, I must congratulate the Thai Congress Committee for its outstand-
ing work in organizing and leading this important global event.
It is truly remarkable to have here over leading professionals of our industry from
over countries to not only discuss the present and the future of colored gemstones
but to also set standards and priorities for our industry for the coming years.
Over the years ICA Congresses have been the perfect stage to present industry
initiatives, discuss market trends and to also address questions and concerns from
consumers when it comes to Sustainability.
Needless to say, our gemstone business is often target for questioning, from its
mining operations to concerns on its practices and how responsible we really are
to the world. Being here today with so many attendees is a clear indication that
the Gems and Jewellery industry takes responsibility very seriously.
Here in Bangkok, this Congress program has been thoughtfully prepared to pro-
vide attendees with a perfect combination of productive discussions along with
exciting experiences of this fantastic country.
A big thank you to our generous sponsors for making all of this possible. I wish
all of you a very successful Congress.

Clement Sabbagh
President

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ICA Congress Chairman Message

The ICA members of Thailand are delighted to play host to all our industry
friends from across the world at the 19th ICA Congress to be held in Bangkok from
12th to 15th October, 2019 at the Shangri-La Hotel.
Thailand is going to be the first country to host the event for the 3rd time , with the
first in 1987, then in 2005 and now in 2019.
Bangkok being the world’s largest colored stone trading and processing hub, gives us
an immense opportunity to create great awareness about colored stones to a global
audience who share, network and enjoy this much anticipated event.
This Congress will have the largest representation of female speakers and it will also
have the first ever representation of artisanal miners on an international platform.
Topics range from rubies, gemstones, mining, technology, the young generation, de-
signs, market trends, social responsibility, media, retailing, and more.
Our Steering Committee has devoted tremendous amounts of time and effort in cre-
ating an array of exciting events, which we are sure will be talked about for years to
come. The highlights of the Congress will be the Tennis & Golf tournament, a dinner
cruise, Gala Ruby Night and many more.
We invite you to share the spirit of ICA and also explore our beautiful country, its
historical landmarks and its famous hospitality.

Best regards,

Prida Tiasuwan
Chairman

ICA Congress 2019

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What is ICA

A non-profit organization, ICA is the only
worldwide body specifically created to benefit the
global colored gemstone industry. ICA was founded
in 1984 and now comprises over 700 gem industry
leaders from mine to market, including miners, gem
cutters, suppliers , retailers, trade associations , gem-
ological laboratories, academia, museums, and so on,
from 47 countries who are devoted to advancing and
promoting the knowledge and appreciation of colored
gemstones .
ICA’s global network works to develop a com-
mon language for promotion and consistent business
standards necessary to improve international com-
munications and trade of colored gemstones.
Over the years, ICA has provided direct ac-
cess to the source for colored gemstones and related
information. There is no other international organiza-
tion with the same collective access to, and knowledge
about, all levels of the colored gemstone industry.

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ICA Board of Directors Santpal Sinchawla

Clement Sabbagh Secretary, Thailand

President, Brazil E. Gamini Zoysa

Damien Cody Director, Sri Lanka

Vice President, Australia Alice Muthama

Nirmal Kumar Bardiya Director, Kenya

Vice President, India Captain Ramji Sharma

Marcelo Ribeiro Director, Japan

Treasurer, Brazil Gabriel Angarita

Bruce Bridges Director, Colombia

Secretary, USA Saurabh Bansal

14 Director, Germany

Henry Ho

Director, Thailand

Masaru Mizumura Warren F. Boyd

Director, Japan Director, Canada

Pavel Sokolov Chen Shen

Director, Russia Director, China

Philippe Scordia Sushil Goyal

Director, France Director, USA

Rakesh Jain Jean Claude Michelou

Director, Hong Kong Advisor, Colombia

Kobi Sevdermish Ruben Bindra

Director, Israel Advisor, USA

Shirley Xue Li Zhang Benjamin Hackman

Director, Hong Kong Immediate Past President, USA

Stephan Reif Gary Roskin

Director, Austria Executive Director, USA

Vijay Kedia

Director, India

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Steering Committee Veerasak
Trirotanan

Kaimesh
Sukhadia

Prida Vichian
Tiasuwan Veerasaksri
Kennedy
Ho Santpal Adipong
Sinchawla Thawornviriyanan
Joseph
Belmont

Henry Tasanee
Ho Sirikietsoong

Phuket Omar Rohit
Khunprapakorn Hatta Naheta

Ashoo
Sinchawla

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PROPOSED PLACES Bangkok is one of the world’s top tourist

FOR SIGHTSEEING AND RELAXING destinations. The city itself is a true tourist paradise, as
BEFORE AND AFTER THE CONGRESS proven by the growing number of travelers coming each
year.
20 There are great varieties of tourist attractions,
mostly historical sites and temples with elaborate archi-
tecture and arts, palaces, museums, parks, and a wide ar-
ray of shopping centers, from luxury malls to flea markets
and street markets. Thai gem and jewelry products also
have been highly accepted in the global market. Bang-
kok’s Silom neighborhood is home to hundreds of gem
traders, while the town of Chanthaburi in southeast Thai-
land is a major center for stone cutting and boasts a big
weekend gem market.
Bangkok nightlife is another highlight that has
attracted many tourists from all over the world. Besides
the city itself, Bangkok is surrounded by many inter-
esting provinces that are worth visiting, such as Sumut
Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Nonthaburi, Ayutthaya, and
Kanchanaburi. There are many more attractions and
amazing places in Thailand awaiting your visit: Pattaya,
Koh Chang, Hua Hin, Phuket, Samui, Phi Phi Island,
Krabi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and so on. Thailand is a
kingdom of wonder, filled with spectacular natural, cul-
tural, and historical attractions. Which attractions are
you looking forward to discovering before and after the
congress in Thailand?

Mahanakhon SkyWalk The New Rot Fai Market Ratchada

One of the premium attractions at the heart of Bangkok, The new Rot Fai Market in the Ratchada area of Bangkok
combining unique views with an unmatched guest expe- is bringing the same convivial night bazaar feel, vibrant
rience. Located at the top of King Power Mahanakhon outdoor market with music, vendors selling a variety of
Building, the Mahanakhon SkyWalk is perfect for all visi- goods, antiques and street food from its original location,
tors, offering stunning views from an indoor and outdoor into an area of the city that is much easier to access thanks
viewing area, it is a “must-see” attraction to add to your to the nearby Cultural Centre MRT Underground Station.
Bangkok bucket list.

- Highlights include one of the world’s largest glass trays
on the 78th floor.
- Southeast Asia’s fastest elevators.
- Unrivalled 360-degree views of Bangkok’s breathtaking
skyline.

Bangkok Temple Half-Day Tour

Embark on a spiritual journey in Bangkok and visit its
top three Wat temples : Wat Pho, Wat Traimit, and Wat
Benchamabophit.

Day Tour from Bangkok : Ayutthaya

Explore Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand. Re-
live the glorious days of this former capital through its
attractions.

Maeklong Railway Market and Damnoen Sadu-
ak Floating Market

Experience authentic Thai daily life. Shop and eat at the
bustling Maeklong and Damnoen markets then visit one
of the most popular temples, Wat Bang Kung.

Kanchanaburi & River Kwai

Escape from the bustling city of Bangkok and journey to
Kanchanaburi. Find war memorials like the River Kwai
Bridge and Burma Railway (Death Railway). Meet the el-
ephants at Taweechai Elephant Camp.

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Congress History

The biennial ICA Congresses are organized in member countries spanning the globe.
Many industry experts share their knowledge and insights with an audience of trade peers, in-
dustry professionals and ICA members. The 19th edition of the International Colored Gemstone
Association (ICA) Congress will be held in Bangkok, Thailand from 12th to 15th October, 2019.
The list of previous congresses included:

Acapulco , Mexico - 1983 ldar-Oberstein, Germany - 1985
Bangkok, Thailand - 1987 Colombo, Sri Lanka - 1989
Tel Aviv, Israel - 1993
Hawaii, USA - 1991 Belo Horizonte, Brazil - 1997
Tokya, Japan - 1995 Sydney, Australia - 2001
Venice, Italy - 1999 Bangkok, Thailand - 2005
Jaipur, India - 2003 Panyu, China - 2009
Dubai, UAE - 2007 Changsha, China - 2013
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 2011 Jaipur, India - 2017
Colombo, Sri Lanka - 2015

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Bangkok 2005

The 11th biennial congress of the International Colored
Gemstone Association (ICA) was held from February 18-21 in
Bangkok, Thailand. The Congress was held at the Shangri-La Ho-
tel, on the banks of the Chao Phraya River.
The Congress was organized by Mr. Vichian Veerasaksri and his
organizing team, owing to their careful planning and perfect exe-
cution it was a spectacular success. More than 200 representatives
attended the congress from all areas of the colored gemstone in-
dustry.
ICA president, Joseph Menzie, stressed the importance of “ensur-
ing that the sale of jewelry set with colored gemstones is given
additional momentum in the consumer markets.”
Bill Boyajian, president of the Gemological Institute of America,
said that the first 10 years of the new century would emerge as the
Decade of the Colored Gemstone. Keynote speaker Eric Braun-
wart, president of Columbia Gem House - Trigem Designs, called
on ICA members to create desire for colored gemstones, and to
safeguard the public’s confidence in the product.

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Day 1 (Saturday, October 12, 2019)

Agenda & Program HOURS EVENT ROOM/VENUE

24 09:00 Registration Ballroom 1, Shangri-La Hotel
10:00-16:30
10:00-16:30 Tennis Tournament Shangri-La Hotel
14:00-16:00
18:30 Golf Tournament Green Valley Country Club

Pre Congress Board Meeting Meeting room Shangri-La Hotel

Cocktails & Dinner Ballroom 1, Shangri-La Hotel

Day 2 (Sunday, October 13, 2019)

HOURS EVENT

09:00-09:10 Opening Speech - Clement Sabbagh, ICA President
09:10-09:20 Congress Chairman Speech: Prida Tiasuwan, Chairman, ICA Congress
09:20-09:30 Welcome Speech: Nuntawan Sakuntanaga, Chairman of the Executive Board,
The Gem & Jewelry Institute of Thailand (Public Organization)
09:35-09:45 Congress Introduction Speech - Henry Ho, President, Jewelry Trade Center
09:45-10:15 Strategic Alliance and Innovation: Alberto Milani
10:15-10:45 StaunpopCoratvinaglietrhi,eCCIoBlJoOured Gemstone Industry in Conducting Supply Chain Due Diligence: Gae-
Coffee Break
10:45-11:00 PGpraeinmseelss,tDoTnihsecauiIlnsasdniudosn|t:rPyCr(aoBmuenontdrSyKmSuittmahtaeures,ARMgeoaprdowerrtaalo,tofGrGJ|EeDPmrCs. t,LoIunneRdieIann|d, MCushrt.irnAyalPt|aaSfnaIenqlt:bpCaalo,l uSSrinnitcrLhyaanSwktalaat)u, Ss aRnetpEonrtteor-f
11:00-11:30 Make Ruby and Sapphire Part of the Diamond Dream: Bill Boyajian
Lao Feng Xiang and its Vision for Coloured Stone Jewelry: Li Hua Shi, Lao Feng Xiang
11:30-12:00 African Large-scale Emerald and Ruby Supply: Sean Gilbertson, Gemfields
12:00-12:15 Lunch
12:15-12:30 Digitalization of Gemstone Industry: Omar Hatta & Kenneth Scarratt, ICA Gem | Lab
12:30-14:00 Future of Retail: Rita Lahlou, Amazon
14:00-14:30 KThneapImp,pMoratraknecteteo6f Brand: Transitioning From the Tech Industry to the Jewelry Industry, Heather
14:30-14:45 From Jaipur to the World: Tarang Arora, Creative Director, AMRAPALI
14:45-15:00 Coffee Break
Analytical Challenges for Melee Testing: Dr. Thomas Hainschwang
15:00-15:15 tPearnperlisDesis|cMusasrioianB: eYlooumnognEt,nKtrVepGreenmuser|sV(eBeeranySamTritihroetea,nMano,dVeeraetroarsa|kAGneumra|kBSiilnlicehHawuglah,eSs,anLtotEuns-)
15:15-15:30 Color Codex System: Chris Smith
15:30-15:45 ‘An Evening in Siam’ Thailand Food & Cutural Show, The House on Sathorn
15:45-16:30

16:30-17:00
18:30-23:00

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Day 3 (Monday, October 14, 2019)

HOURS EVENT

09:00-09:30 Chief Guest of Honor: Mr. Jurin Laksanavisit Honorable Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand
09:30-09:45 Poster Competition: Yehuda Kassif
09:45-10:15 Innovative Retail: Bobby Liu, Chow Tai Fook
10:15-11:00 HPaasctkPmreasnid|eRnotslaPnadnNela: fItCulAe |thErlioeuzgrihIzthraeella|sSt a3ddaehcaardueFsu-ji(tDa |amPaioenloCVoadleyn,tMinoi)derator | Benjamin
Coffee Break
11:15-11:15 vUPaaSnnAaevl|eDFsui,sClcvuhiosasvSiaocnnaav: ,iDaM,eIcitaoandlyiTn|egScmJkerw|iCteilhlBeaoroyhqrDiaue, sMig,anQst-ieu(r“FSRitnircoehkJaeeGswboeylyraJyel,wSSiheklarsni,EgMmhaopido)erriuatmor||SPinauultahCunreovnoCshhaay-,
11:15-12:00 BAussilodciinagtiothne Next Level with Colours: Rizwan Nayeem, Sri Lanka Gem & Jewellery Traders
Current Situation of Chinese Gems and Jewelry Industry: Fang Jiesheng, GAC
12:00-12:30 Lunch
Dmeinveinlogpemxpenerttof Small Deposits and ASM Activities in Africa: Cedric Simonet, Geologist and
12:30-12:45 HIIEigDh Impact/Low Budget Capacity Building in the Artisanal Gem Industry: Charles Lawson,
12:45-14:00 Nigeria Minig Exploration and Development: Patrick Ojeka, Ministry of Mines, Nigeria
14:00-14:15 PTSthaenapnehloannDgiRsLcieeufes|lsaiWownaa:rtarRenneassBpuookyn, dsG,ibPIlToete|GnNetamatwestaMol.naineiti-nShgoouc| irRninueg,i GRCaJChloapl|liemTno)gneys B-ro(Joekaen, RCilcahuldaen,dMRoedsoeurartcoers ||
Coffee Break
14:15-14:30 Toward the Future of Colored Gemstone Standardization: Thanon Leelawatanasuk
Gem Paintings: Vincent Pardieu
14:30-14:45 Tanzanite - The Treasure of Tanzania: Robert Gessner
14:45-16:00 “The Eternal Love” Dinner Cruise

16:00-16:15
16:15-16:30
16:30-16:45
16:45-17:00
19:15-22:30

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Day 4 (Tuesday, October 15, 2019)

HOURS EVENT

09:30-10:00 The Thread of Color: Susan Jacques, GIA
10:00-10:45 MGPauontdteeelrrDyati|socSrua|rsArsaimonneY:doDeuoikgSoitcnaolggdMneaaemr)kiegtliinog|&RiScohcaiaGl oMyaeldSiaik-r(i“|BBeennSjammitinhee,
The Concept of Jewelry Designing in Luxury Brand: Hajime Ando
10:45-11:00 Coffee Break
11:00-11:15 Ben Smithee: Closing the Digital Divide
11:15-11:30 Hayley Henning: Greenland Ruby : Fire Under Ice
11:30-11:45 Donna Dirlam: Rubies & Emeralds - From Mughals to Millennials
11:45-12:15 Lunch
12:15-14:00 AGM
14:00-14:30 Board Meeting
14:30-15:00 Press Conference
17:30-18:00 I‘TChAe AGwAaLrAd’s CinearessmoocinaytiaonndwIiCthAI|CGAe|mGLeambLGarband Opening
18:30-22:30

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Tentative Speakers

Alberto Milani
President, Italy American Chamber of Commerce

Alberto Milani leads the Luxury Division of Richline Group, a Berkshire Hathaway Company. He is the President of the Italy American Chamber of Commerce in New York and coordinator of the all Chamber of Com-
merce in the NAFTA area. His visionary approach has been recognized by market leaders with jewelry and lifestyle luxury brand Alberto Milani “a love affair with Italy”. Before joining Richline Group, he held executive
positions with Procter & Gamble, Sector Sport Watches, Bulagri and Buccellati. He defines mission and corporate approach in all facets of the marketing mix, a true benchmark for the next generation of managers.

Altaf Iqbal
Regal Gems, Sri Lanka

Altaf Iqbal is the managing director of Regal Gems Pvt Ltd, a pioneering gemstone company established in 1972 by his father A.R.M Iqbal. He joined the company in 1990 and learnt the intricacies and nuances of
rough buying at the Elahera mines, in the Matale district, which is also his hometown. Altaf was among the first dealers to source rough Gems from the sapphire mines in both Tanzania and Madagascar. In 1995
he managed the company’s Tanzanian rough purchasing offices in Mtwara, Maasai and Tunduru. In 1997, he and his father were the first Sri Lankans to adventure out to Madagascar soon after the discovery of
sapphires in Illakaka and Sakaraha mines and set up offices under the name “Big Boss Saphir”. Altaf is passionate about colored Gem stones and works closely with other industry members to increase trade and
consumer awareness of Gemstones. He is presently the chairman of FACETS Sri Lanka Gem show & Vice Chairman Foreign Promotions & Trade Fairs of Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Association (SLGJA). He
has been an ICA member since 2000 and was appointed ICA Ambassador for Sri Lanka in 2013. He had a vital role in steering the organizing of the ICA congress 2015 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He will be joining
the ICA board post congress 2019.

Anurak Sinchawla
Director, Sant Enterprises

Anurak Sinchawla is the 6th Generation of the Sinchawla family, a deeply rooted and well respected family in the Gemstone trade for over a century, his ancestors left the Punjab, undivided India, in 1888 to settle in the newly
acquired British Dominion, previously known as “Burma”, the Golden Land. They settled in the Ruby mine district of Mogok, where they flourished as owners of British concessioned Ruby mine for over 50 years… his grand-
father started the business here in Bangkok, Thailand in 1963, followed by his father Santpal from whom he has learnt a great deal in the past 5-6 years. Anurak is an accomplished graduate from the University of Melbourne,
Australia, where he earned the Bachelor of Commerce Degree, he followed that with a Graduate Gemologist Diploma from GIA and recently was selected to attend a Global Leadership Program initiated by GIA and offered on
campus at Harvard Business School, Boston; he looks forward to continue the lifelong learning process like his father and grandfather. Colored stones has been Anurak’s passion since childhood, with many visits to the office
along with his Grandfather and later his father. Holidays were particularly a gemmy time for him. Currently, Anurak is fully involved in the Business with his parents and from early 2019 has joined the ranks as a Director of
Sant Enterprises.

Mrs. Fang Jiesheng
Deputy Secretary General, Gems and Jewelry

Trade Association of China

Born in Beijing on Jan. 20, 1962. Bachelor degree with the major of Geological and Mineral Survey. Attend in the School of Management of Beijing Normal University for Master Degree study from
October of 2008 to October of 2010. From August of 1983 to December of 1988, Technician of Aviation Geophysical Corps. From January of 1989 to December of 1997, Reporter and Editor of Geology
and Minerology Newspaper. From January of 1998 to December of 2002, Executive Director of Beijing Diamond Jewelry Co., Ltd. From January of 2003 to December of 2010, Deputy Secretary General

of GAC. From January of 2011 to December of 2014, Director of NGTC-Shanghai. From January of 2015 on, Deputy Secretary General of GAC.

Bill Boyajian
Bill Boyajian & Associates

Bill is the former long-time president of the Gemological Institute of America (1986 – 2006), and is currently founder and president of Bill Boyajian & Associates, Inc. His firm consults for a wide variety of companies
both inside and outside of the gem and jewelry industry, specializing in leadership, business management, organizational development, family transition, and succession planning. Bill is the author of Developing the
Mind of a Leader – Your Path to Lead and Inspire People. He is an avid gemologist and colored stone enthusiast, and a sought-after business coach and speaker. Bill can be reached at [email protected].

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Gaetano Cavalieri
President, CIBJO, The World Jewellery Confederation

One of the most prominent leaders in the international jewellery industry today, Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri has served for the past 18 years as president of CIBJO, The World Jewellery Confederation, which is the body that unites national
jewellery and gemstone associations from more than 40 countries around the world, and also includes many of the industry’s major international corporations and international representative associations. As president of CIBJO, Dr.
Cavalieri was responsible in July 2006 for the organization receiving “Special Consultative Status” with United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), making it the first and only jewellery and gemstone representative to be
officially recognized by the international body. Together with the United Nations, he established the World Jewellery Confederation Education Foundation (WJCEF), which is responsible for promoting Corporate Social Responsibility
education in the international jewellery and gemstone industries. Dr. Cavalieri was born into the jewellery industry, and today is president of his family wholesaling business which was established in Sicily about 200 years ago. He is
also principal owner of Gaetano Cavalieri & Co, Milan, Italy, a consultancy offering strategic and marketing services to governments, organisations and companies in the luxury business sector. In addition to being president of CIBJO,
he also has served as president of the Italian Federation of Gold, Silver and Jewellery Wholesalers, has been a member of the International Executive Council of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), a member of the Goldsmiths’
Company of London, a member of the European Assay Association, a member of the International Coloured Gemstone Association (ICA), and chief financial officer of the World Diamond Council. Dr. Cavalieri was a consultant to
the Italian Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and the Ministry of Welfare, and to the European Economic Commission in the areas of harmonization of standards and value added tax (VAT) on gold. He is consultant to trade fair
organizers across Europe, was chief of the International Relations Office of Confcommercio (Italian General Trade Organization), a delegate to the Commission of Foreign Trade, specializing in the luxury industries, and an Italian
representative to the World Trade Organization and the Transatlantic Business Dialogue. He is the winner of numerous awards and recognitions, including the Youngest Foreign Managing Director, Australia (1976), the Most Advanced
Jewellery Marketing Project,” Japan (1978), the Best Programme to Penetrate the German Jewellery Market (1986), Ars et Labor Europe (1996), Achievement in Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethical Standards from the Italian
Design Gold & Jewellery Association and Bocconi University in Milan (2007), the Karl Faberge Award from the Russian Ministry of Culture (2012) and a Recognition of Services to Armenia and the Armenian People, awarded by
the President of the Republic of Armenia (2016). He was awarded a Ph.D. in Economics from Catania University, where he specialized in marketing and market research. He also holds a Master’s Degree, awarded jointly by Catania
University and the University of Rotterdam, in multi-criteria decision theory and business administration, finance and international marketing.

Amedeo Scognamiglio
Founder/CEO, FARAONE MENNELLA by RFMAS

Amedeo has got jewelry in his DNA: At 16 years old he learned the art of carving Cameos in his father’s company, M+M SCOGNAMIGLIO, continuing an artistic tradition dating back to the early 1800s, in his hometown
of Torre del Greco.

At 29 years old, Amedeo and his childhood friend Roberto Faraone Mennella, launched the fine jewelry collection FARAONE MENNELLA by RFMAS, one of the most celebrated luxury brands in the world today.
In 2006, the opening of AMEDEO, a Boutique on the chic Upper East Side in NYC, dedicated to the Designer’s unusual vision of Cameos, shortly followed by another opening in Capri, Italy.

Since then, Amedeo Scognamiglio has modernized Cameos, making them glamorous and trendy, appealing to the die-hard fashionistas from Paris, NYC, London and Moscow. His one-of-a-kind pieces appeared on the
pages of Vogue America, Vogue Paris, Vogue Italia, Elle, New York Times, W Magazine, V Magazine,Town and Country, Style.com, Departures.

Amedeo’s design philosophy aims at an extremely contemporary approach to the ancient art of cameo making, through alternative materials, unexpected ideas and smile-triggering designs.

Ben Smithee
CEO, The Smithee Group

Ben Smithee is a fun-seeker with an entrepreneurship problem. His first long-term stint, at the age of 23, led him to create one of the earliest and most respected Millennial-focused insights and intelligence firms, where he
served as CEO until he exited in 2014. In 2015, Ben launched The Smithee Group which focuses on helping brands and retailers strategically succeed in the age of digital everything. TSG’s experience includes some of the
largest and most well-known companies around the world including Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Comcast, Del Monte, EA Games, Disney, General Mills, Kroger, VF Corp, Signet, Rio Tinto, and many more. Ben has spoken to
audiences around the world closing in on 20 countries, across 6 continents. He’s regarded as a go-to expert in Digital Marketing, the future of retail, and the Millennial Consumer segment. He’s the recipient of the American
Marketing Association’s Marketer of the Year Award, and has been nominated as one of the Top 10 Youth Marketers in the US. Ben has hosted top-rated weekly TV segments on WFAA’s Good Morning Texas, and The
Broadcast. While he loves helping businesses become rock-star brands and out-perform their competition, he is even more passionate about the work he does with The Warren Center in Dallas, which helps families and their
children that have developmental delays, and his work with the Big Brothers Big Sisters Organization where he currently resides with his wife, Nicole, in New York City. Ben currently serves as an Advising Partner to Aquilla,
creating innovative approaches to CTE curriculum that prepares students for today’s business environment. He sits on the Board of Directors for the Women’s Jewelry Association, serves as President of the Board for the Big
Brothers Big Sisters Young Professionals Committee, and serves as a member of the Adoptee Advisory Council for Holt International.

Benjamin Guttery
@ThirdCoastGems

After serving in the U.S. Army as a Combat Medic, he went directly into fine jewelry sales and management. Since then he has attended GIA Carlsbad to earn his Graduate Gemologist Diploma and SSEF in Basel
for Advanced Gemmological Training. He started @ThirdCoastGems 6 years ago to shine a spotlight on the industry at large along with up and coming talent. Over his 15 years career, he has been featured multiple

times in the NY POST, JCK, INSTORE, Observer, InDesign, and Forbes magazines. At his core he is a storyteller and enjoy helping others tell their stories to a modern audience.

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Billie Hughes
Gemologist, Lotus Gemology

Billie Hughes is a gemologist at Lotus Gemology, a colored stone testing laboratory in Bangkok, Thailand. After graduating from UCLA in 2011, Billie became a Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain in 2013.
She has already distinguished herself with her photographic work published in Terra Spinel, the Wall Street Journal, Ruby & Sapphire: A Collector’s Guide, and Ruby & Sapphire: A Gemologist’s Guide. Her gemological work
has appeared in Gems & Gemology, Gems&Jewellery, The GemGuide, The Journal of the Gemmological Association of Hong Kong, and InColor Magazine. Billie has traveled extensively for research on gems, and visited her
first gem mine at age two. She is also a talented photomicrographer and has won awards in the Gem-A, Clemson University, and Close Up Photographer of the Year competitions. In 2019 Billie was awarded with the Accredited
Gemologists Association’s Gemological Research Grant.

Charles Lawson
Director, Lawson Gems International

Charles Lawson, Director of Lawson Gems & Lawson Gemmology, is an experienced geologist and gemmologist based in Brisbane, Australia. Charles holds a Bachelor of Science in the Field of Geology and is an Alum-
nus of the GIA (Gemological Institute of America), Gem-A (Gemmological Association of Great Britain) and is a management committee member and alumnus of the GAA (Gemmological Association of Australia).

With over 12 years in the trade he has worked in almost all facets of the industry from exploration geology, to jewellery manufacturing to gemstone trading. Over the last 4 years he has conducted numerous projects in
Madagascar within the mining industry on behalf of bodies such as Tiffany & Co., the Gemstone and Sustainable Development Knowledge Hub and the Australian and German governments. These have focused on local

empowerment and sustainability. Charles now specializes not only in the trading of gemstones but also education and filmmaking in within gemmology with the aim of bringing a better understanding of the gemstone
industry to the world at large. Through such work over the last 7 years he is now a specialist in the field of social media marketing within the niche of coloured gems.

Chaoqiu He
QIU Fine Jewelry

A native of Shanghai, Chaoqiu comes from an affluent family well established in jadeite trading and art collecting. Her family’s deep-rooted passion in the field helped her has access to fine gemstones at a very young age. Her
newly found obsession in gemstones ultimately exposed her to the craftsmanship and culture of traditional jadeite artisans, which she cherishes to this day. Her experiences fueled her passion for fine craftsmanship and ulti-
mately led to her desire to pursue her dreams of one day creating her own fine pieces. After working with prestigious names such as Rappaport Diamonds, Chaoqiu founded QIU Fine Jewelry, her own design studio focusing
on timeless design and precious quality, in 2014, shortly after she achieved her diploma from GIA, Chaoqiu transformed her deep appreciation of art, fashion, and nature to her artistic creations and fine jewelry. Chaoqiu strives
to work with one-of-kind gemstones to create bespoke and timeless jewelry pieces. Chaoqiu’s philosophy has always been to present her clients with unique jewelry, containing a wealth of details and textures, worthy of the
most exquisite precious stones. Since 2014, Chaoqiu’s remarkable design work enabled her to be widely recognized by some of the most influential jewelry and design media houses in the world, such as Bazaar Jewelry China,
Archi-tectural Digest China etc. She was subsequently invited to speak at International Channel Shanghai “Madz Collection” about traditional jadeite craftsmanship and contemporary design. In 2016, her highly recognized
jewelry sketches were included in a show themed “Drawing Hands“at the Magda Danysz Gallery in Shanghai. She has continued to gain worldwide attention by becoming one of the 20 global ambassadors for the renowned
fashion website Farfetch.com.

Christopher P. Smith
ColorCodex

As a gemologist working in the industry for more than 30 years, my background brings unique experience towards addressing the challenges inherent in how the industry (traders, jewelers, trade associations, appraisers
and gemologists/laboratories) describes and references color in gemstones. Furthermore, through my work with various international laboratories, as well as trade organizations and other sectors of the trade in the major
markets across the globe, I am very familiar with the challenges involved with establishing a more consistent means of defining varietal calls and trade names that are based on color. It was these challenges and the lack of

adequate tools that would allow our industry to tackle these issues, that led me to develop an innovative tool and color system for the gemstone and jewelry industry.

Dona Dirlam
GIA Librarian Emeritus

Dona Dirlam’s playthings of choice growing up in Minnesota were a collection of Oregon agates. Pursuing this hobby led to a master’s degree in geology and geophysics and a position as a geology and earth science teacher in
Madison, Wisconsin. Yet her interest in gems never wavered, and when she heard about GIA’s degree programs, she moved to Santa Monica to pursue her GG. Thus began a lifelong affiliation between Dirlam and GIA that has
changed the face of the Institute’s library and research resources. Upon completion of her GG in 1979, Dirlam was encouraged by Dr. Vincent Manson to work as a diamond grader until a position in research became available.
While she waited, she made such use of the Institute’s library that she caught the attention of Richard Liddicoat, who was seeking someone with a background in gemology, geology and teaching to revamp the Institute’s library.
He found a willing and able candidate in Dirlam, who assumed her new responsibilities as GIA’s librarian in July 1980. Since December 1995, she has been director of the Richard T. Liddicoat Gemological Library and Informa-
tion Center, which under her leadership became the world’s largest and most prestigious library of its kind.

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Dr Cédric V. Simonet
Akili Minerals Services Ltd

Cédric holds a PhD in Geology of Ruby and Sapphire Deposits, a Gemology Diploma from the University of Nantes (France), and has 25 years’ experience in mineral exploration and mining in France and many African Coun-
tries. Along his career, Cédric has retained a passion for colored gemstones and has been involved in ruby, sapphire, emerald, tsavorite, tourmaline and garnet exploration and mining projects in Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique,
Madagascar, Nigeria, Zambia, Rwanda and Burundi. Cédric is a former General Manager of the John Saul Ruby Mine in Kenya. A Director of Akili Minerals Services Ltd, his exploration services company based in Nairobi,
Cédric is the immediate past Chairperson of the Kenya Chamber of Mines and is presently involved in the modernization of tsavorite mines in Kenya.

Fulvio Scavia
Scavia

During his seventy intensely – lived years, Fulvio Maria Scavia has been able to reconcile aesthetic research applied to the ancient art of jewelry making with the study and knowledge of the rarest gems in the places where they
flower from the depths of the Earth. A renowned scientific journalist and gemmologist, member of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain, he can already view the future gem in a rough diamond crystal that his creative

soul has virtually designed and interpreted. An untiring shape searcher, Scavia has always played with volumes, spaces and colors to enrich the mystique of the ideal woman he has always admired and considers his muse. This
eclectic figure considers the prestigious international awards that he has received over the years to be more important as stimuli for his creativity than as mere signs of success. His true s oul lives within his Milanese atelier
where, alongside his team of goldsmiths, Fulvio Maria Scavia conceives and creates extraordinary jewelry-authentic artistic masterpieces destined to win the test of time.

Hajime Ando
Jewelry Designer

He boasts a career of more than 30 years as a jewelry designer. Born in Japan, he now works independently as a designer and brand consultant based in both Bangkok and Japan. His passion for jewelry designing was triggered
by Italy, more specifically an award given to him at an international design contest held 30 years ago with Mr. Paolo Bulgari himself as its judge; getting mesmerized by real Italian jewelries during a trip to Italy, he determined
to be a jewelry designer for Bulgari in the future. He was adopted as one of Bulgari’s top 7 designers in 2005, 20 years later since he had first entertained such adoration; he has worked on its jewelry designing for 9 years as
one. He says that designing of jewelries is not just about pursuit of styles or trends, but about reflection of cultures, histories and customs of a country where such arts are created, which he has learned from his design works
at Bulgari. His ideal on designing: “Environments inspire creation by jewelry designers”. For ICA, he will deliver a speech around the processes of how such jewelry designs and luxury brands come into existence, based on
his own experiences.

Heather Knapp
Co-Founder, Markette

Heather Knapp is the co-founder of Markette Six, the curated online marketplace that allows users to securely buy and sell one-of-a-kind authenticated jewelry, watches and gemstones. Before founding Markette Six with her
husband Justin, Heather was the Global Product Marketing Manager, within iTunes at Apple, where she managed the team responsible for product vision, development, and strategy across 40+ countries. She also previously

worked as a graphic designer and project manager for Apple, Method Products, and Williams-Sonoma, Inc.

Jean Claude Michelou
Imperial Colors

Jean Claude Michelou, is a gems and jewelry resource strategist. He has been active in gemstone trading, mining, cutting and export since 1977 and is a sourcing strategist for rough colored gemstones from different origins. He
has served as Vice President for eight years of his 18 years in total on the Board of Directors of the International Colored Gemstone Association, ICA. More recently, he has been active as a consultant for the World Bank, govern-
ment authorities, miners and mining agencies. He has worked in different countries in the development of infrastructure and policies from mine to market for the gemstone industry. He has been working on the development of
Fair and Ethical Trade and Mining Standards and social responsibility initiatives for artisanal and small scale mining communities. He is an Advising Director to the ICA Board, and co-chairs the Compliance and Sustainability
Committee. He is the ICA Chairman of the Ambassadors and Communication Committees as well as the Editor-in-Chief of the international gems and jewelry publication, InColor magazine. Jean Claude Michelou served as
Senior Technical Advisor for the UNICRI (UN) on the Gems and Jewelry Supply chain for a project entitled “Illicit Trafficking of Precious Metals and Traceability and Ethical Origins of Colored Gemstones.” He is an active
contributor to the OECD forums on ethical sourcing of precious metals and gemstones and is on the Board of Advisors of the Gemstones and Sustainable Development Knowledge Hub. In May 2019, Michelou was appointed to
the RJC Standards Committee for Colored Gemstones.

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Hayley Henning
VP Sales & Marketing, Greenland Ruby

Hayley A. Henning is a highly visible leader in the Colored Gemstone Industry and is the VP of Sales and Marketing for Greenland Ruby, a Greenland based company, and subsidiary of Norwegian Iron Ore miner Rana Gruber.
Greenland Ruby is licensed to mine and develop the business for rubies and pink sapphires in and from Greenland. Ms. Henning is responsible for the unique opportunity of introducing these newly discovered gems to the
Gemstone and Jewelry industry, and to a new generation of jewelry buyers, at large. Her tasks include product and concept development, creating marketing materials, including social media coverage and media management,
relationship building and maintenance with clients, as well as pricing and category strategies and sales channels globally. Hayley has established the Pink Polar Bear Foundation as the CSR arm of Greenland Ruby. Ms. Henning
has twenty years of marketing and corporate social responsibility (CSR) experience in the gemstone and jewelry industry. Previously she served as Executive Director of The Tanzanite Foundation at TanzaniteOne Mining
Limited, where her CSR initiatives,which included various schools, orphanages and empowerment projects, were recognized by The United Nations and CIBJO. Hayley is the co-publisher of a book on Tanzanite with renowned
jewelry journalist Didier Brodbeck In her high-profile status, she is a Member of the International Colored Stone Association (ICA), American Gem Society (AGS). New York Jewelers Group (NYJA) and serves on both the New
York Metro as well as the National Board(s) of the Women’s Jewelry Association (WJA) She studied Bachelor of Social Science at University of KwaZulu-Natal. Hayley was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and has lived in
New York for the past 20 years. She is married to Erik A. Jens.

Liu Chun-Wai, Bobby
Executive Director, Chow Tai Fook

Liu Chun-Wai, Bobby Aged 45, joined the Group in 1999, was appointed as an executive Director in January 2016. Mr. Bobby Liu is responsible for the development of the Sustainability and Innovation Centre of
the Group, leading and synergising initiatives in the areas of culture & art, craftsmanship and creativity. He is also a director of certain subsidiaries of the Group. Mr. Liu has over 20 years of experience in retail and
administrative management. He has been responsible for developing the Group’s e-commerce and high-end luxury jewellery business since 2010. He has also been in charge of the Group’s watch business in Mainland
China from 2016 onward. Mr. Liu holds a Master of Business Administration degree from The Western University (formerly known as The University of Western Ontario) and a Bachelor of Science degree in Com-

puter Mathematics from Carleton University.

Li Hua Shi
Chairman, Lao Fengxiang,

Mr. Shi is currently the chairman of Lao Fengxiang Co., Ltd. and the chairman of Shanghai Lao Fengxiang Co., Ltd. In 1977, he joined the First Pencil Factory of China and served as deputy director and deputy
manager of the Director’s office. In 1998, he became the general manager of China First Pencil Co., Ltd. In 2001, he was the general manager of Shanghai Laofengxiang Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Arts and Crafts
General Company. Since 2014, he has served as the chairman of Lao Fengxiang Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Lao Fengxiang Co., Ltd. He has made various achievements, including: Labor Model of the Ministry of Light
Industry, Labor Model of Shanghai, National Gold Industry Excellent Entrepreneurs, Leading figure of Chinese Arts and Crafts Industry, China’s Best Business Leader Award, the Year’s Best CEO, Shanghai Excellent
Entrepreneurs and other titles.

Nawal Aït-Hocine
RJC Strategic Advisor Standards and Assurance

Nawal Aït-Hocine is an independent Sustainability, Legal and Compliance advisor with 20 years’ experience in executive positions, managing and protecting corporate risk and reputation while shaping industry
best practice in the precious materials, jewellery and professional services sectors. She was Cartier’s Corporate Responsibility Director, Head of Legal & Compliance at Metalor, Head of Compliance EMEA at Reu-

ters and Senior Legal Counsel at SGS. Nawal holds a PhD in Law, an MSc in International Law and an MSc in Business Economics.

Maria Belmont
Director, K,V.Gems

Maria Belmont, a Director of K.V. Gems, one of Thailand’s leading suppliers of top-grade Un-treated Coloured Gemstones specialising in Ruby’s , Sapphires and Spinels. K.V. Gems a family-run company, was established
in Bangkok in 1984 by Joseph Belmont, an American precious gemstone trader, and Pirapan Belmont, a gemstone wholesaler born in Thailand’s historic gemstone mining town of Chantaburi. Maria has a Masters in
Business Management with a specialty in identifying the treatment and origin of ruby, sapphire and emerald having received advanced training from SSEF. At only 25, Maria and her team of 50 professionals seeks to
elevate the company’s successful growth through continued supply of their highly selective inventory supplying some of the world’s best luxury collections.

Dr. Ren Lu
China University of Geosciences, Wuhan

Distinguished professor, Gemmological Institute, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China

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Richa Goyal Sikri
Indipendent Journalist & Storyteller

Post her training as an MBA, Richa embarked on a career in aviation marketing, spending 20 years developing one of the largest organizations in Asia. A connoisseur of jewelled art, her interest to learn, led her to
curate and execute educational ‘Gem Journeys’ to mines and manufacturing hubs in 2013. Laterally, she began researching design history, enrolled in the GIA program, and passionately began ‘educating through
storytelling’ on Instagram in 2017. Her work garnered interest, and support from key organisations like Robb Report, Harper’s Bazaar, Solitaire International, Gemfields, GemGenève and prestigious institutions like
the Art Science Museum, Singapore who engaged her as a consultant for the “Infinity Stones” section of their ‘Avengers’ exhibit. She is frequently invited by the Young President’s Organization (YPO) and other private
consumer groups, to deliver talks with a view to share her knowledge and experiences, empowering buyers to ask the right questions and feel more confident in their purchases. Her special brand of knowledge-share
has resulted in presentations at the World Emerald Symposium, the Art Science Museum, Singapore, FABERGE, Asian Institute of Gemological Studies (AIGS), and recently at the IIJS Artisan Jewellery Awards in
Mumbai, where she was also a judge. Richa travels extensively, splitting her time between Singapore, her gem journeys, & business interests in the region.

Rizwan Nayeem
Managing Director, Orofini Gems

Rizwan is currently the Managing Director of Orofini Gems (Pvt) Limited. Rizwan brings in a wide array of experience from business research and investment banking through corporate turnaround and strategy gained
in various parts of the world. Rizwan hails from the town that boasts the oldest open coloured stone market in the world, China Fort, Beruwela in Sri Lanka. He started his career at KPMG in Sri Lanka and went on to

excel at large conglomerates in the Middle East. He then moved on to be based in London where he had a colourful professional career in corporate finance and strategy, before launching the retail jewellery brand, Orofini.
During his time in London, he was also involved with the activities of GIA-London Chapter and the British Jewellers Association. Rizwan gained his MBA from the world renowned Cranfield School of Management in the
United Kingdom and further pursued his studies in Corporate Finance at the prestigious Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University in Illinois, USA. Rizwan is also a full member of a number of profession-

al bodies including the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and Chartered Institute of Marketing (U.K). In his professional career he specializes in business
advisory services focused on building winning corporate strategies. He has had a number of publications in the United Kingdom and in Sri Lanka covering the gems and jewellery sector. As a member of the Executive
Committee of the Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Association, Rizwan is instrumental in pursuing various policy initiatives to reform the legislative framework and industry practices applicable to the sector and thus paving

the way for a substantial shift in the level of business opportunities for the gem and jewellery industry.

Paula Crevoshay
Crevoshay

Some great artists show a flash of genius and are gone, some show us a new vision and spend the rest of their careers repeating themselves and a few, the very greatest, continue to explore and reinvent themselves year
after year taking their work and their audience to ever greater heights, enriching the broader culture in the process. Paula Crevoshay is widely recognized to be among the very few in the later group. From the very
beginning Crevoshay has applied Fine Art Principles to jewelry design. In addition to Fine Art, Crevoshay studied Anthropology, especially symbolism, and you will note in her very modern expression of artistic
archetypes echoes of cultures past, which makes her work accessible to people everywhere. Today Crevoshay enjoys the patronage of art connoisseurs and avid jewelry collectors the world over. Her work has been
exhibited in many museums and is on display at the Gemological Institute of America, The Carnegie Museum of Natural History and in the National Gem Collection at the Smithsonian Institution where it continues
to surprise and delight new people every year.

Patrick Ojeka
Director, Artisanal and Small-scale Mining Department, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Nigeria

sector. His career span across professional fields such as Hydrogeology, Engineering Surveying and Geology. He superintended at the World Bank S120million(SMMRP) Mining Project in Nigeria from 2005 – 2013, where
he was the Assistant Project Coordinator and currently as the Director, Artisanal and Small-scale Mining Department, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Nigeria and double as the Acting Registrar, Council of Min-
ing Engineers and Geoscientist(COMEG). Mr. Ojeka is a member of the following professional bodies; Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society(NMGS), Nigerian Institute of Surveying, National Association of Hydroge-

ologist, and as a registered Geoscientist with the Council of Mining Engineers and Geoscientist(COMEG). Mr. Ojeka has attended and participated at several International Professional Conferences, Foras and Workshops
such as Community and Artisana and Small-scale Mining(CASM) World Bank; International Colourgemstones Association(ICA); MineExpo; Africa DownUnder Mining Conference; Producers and Developers Association

of Canada(PDAC); Mining Indaba; World Bank/EITI workshop on integrating ASM into EITI; UNESCO capacity building on ASM; China-Africa Corporation on Human Resource Training in Mineral Resources Sector;
UNDP workshop on Development of Lower Value Minerals and Materials(LVMMD). Mr. Ojeka is married with children.

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Rui Galopim de Carvalho
PORTUGAL GEMAS

gemologist (FGA-DGA) with published research on the history of use of gem materials, especially based on Portuguese jewelry studies, and recently engaged in precious coral as Vice-President of the CIBJO Coral
Commission. Author, educator and international lecturer with an active social media presence with regular short educational posts spreading knowledge and appreciation of gems and gemology, my longtime passion.
I was fortunate to have been in the past Executive Liaison Ambassador of ICA, a position that gave the greatest memories, friends and learning opportunities.

Robert Gessner
Gessner Gems

With now over 15 years of coloured gemstone experience including mining and exploration in Africa, Robert Gessner started in Tanzania as a Junior Geologist in 2003 for TanzaniteOne (then African Gem Resources Limited
- Afgem). He left at the end of 2008, as Senior Mine Geologist, having played an integral part of developing the understanding, mapping and both underground and surface exploration of the tanzanite gemstone. He also have

exploration exposure to Tanzania’s tsavorite, ruby zoisite, spessartine and rhodolite garnet, respectively.
At the beginning of 2009, Robert joined Gemfields plc on their Kagem Mining Limited emerald operation in Zambia, as Project Manager – Underground. The project involved pioneering underground mining of Kafubu Emerald
Deposit, the world’s largest emerald deposit, which traditionally and historically, had been opencast mined. This trial project was completed in September 2014 and put under care and maintenance. He was then appointed Senior
Manager – Geology with my core duties managing the production and scheduling of the open pit, the operation’s contractors and the underground project. He also fulfilled the Director of Operation’s general management duties

when he was not onsite. He completed his years of service in June 2015.
He is a geologist by profession having completed his BSc Degree in Geology at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in 2002, and completed his post-graduate Honours Degree at the University of Stellenbosch in 2004. In 2008, via
distance learning, completed his GIA’s AJP Diploma. In 2016, graduated as a Graduate Gemologist (GG) while in residence from the GIA Headquarters Campus in Carlsbad, USA. His professional affiliations include a registered
Professional Natural Scientist by the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP) and a member of the Geological Society of South Africa (GSSA). He is a member of the American Gem Trade Association

(AGTA), Woman in Jewelry Association (WJA - Los Angeles Chapter) and President of the GIA North Texas Alumni chapter.
After completing his GG (Graduate Gemology from the GIA), He founded Gessner Gems, a trademark owned by Gessner Holdings, LLC, offering Gemstone Sourcing, Geological and Gemological Consultancy Services both
locally in the USA and internationally. Gessner Gems is a bespoke and high end brand of fine gemstone supply to Jewelry Designers and a concierge to Private Clients. Gessner Gems provides the finest color, cut and quality gem-
stones at competitive prices. The brand is synonymous to professionalism, confidence and relationships. I have an understanding of gemstones like no other with over a decade of experience working on colored gemstone mines.

Sarran Youkongdee
SARRAN

SARRAN by Sarran Youkongdee was established in 2008. The core concept was inspired by the rich Thai heritage and traditions with the blend of Asian cultures. Combining with a variety of designs and new material develop-
ment, "Asian Elegance" was born. Sarran’s art to wear creations are combinations of wisdom in the past and the modern lifestyle. Each product has its story and an expression of emotion. The history has given life
through his products, which speak volume of his passion and glimpse of the past. Artist’s inspiration: With their looks and fragrance, Thai women are like beautiful flowers. Many of Sarran’s works are inspired by Thai women and
their way of making themselves beautiful during the birth of the new era. In Thailand, some hundred years ago, Thai women used flowers as accessories and extracted the scents to use as their perfume. They also used scented
candles and potpourri on their clothes.

Stephan Reif
Green Dragon Mine

Stephan Reif is a graduated gemologist (GIA) with a master degree in business & law from the university of economics in Vienna, Austria. From young age his passion for gemstones and traveling took
him around the world to source for precious gems. During his career, he has been involved in multiple gemstone mining and exploration projects around the globe and he successfully introduced gems

from new deposits to the global gem & jewelry markets. Stephan’s expertise includes the sourcing, mining, grading, cutting and marketing of colored gemstones and diamonds. He is an expert on the
evaluation of gemstone deposits and building vertically integrated mine to market operations. Currently, Stephan is director of MRD GmbH an integrated gemstone supplier and developer of a leading

Demantoid garnet deposit. In addition, he works as a consultant to private and institutional investors on various aspects of the colored gemstone & diamond industry.

Tony Brooke
CEO, Richland Resources

With 37 years of experience in the gem industry, he has a wide knowlege and understanding of the industry, with extensive contacts worldwide that encompass sourcing, processing, manufacturing
and marketing. He is the CEO of Richland Resources, a Sapphire mining company, listed on the London Stock Exchange, Vice-President of TGJTA, Thailand representative for Colored Stones, CIBJO.

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Sean Gilbertson
CEO, Gemfields

Sean graduated as a mining engineer and worked as a project financier for Deutsche Bank in Frankfurt and London specializing in independent power projects and public/private partnerships. He co-founded
globalCOAL in 1998 ( a company that played a central role in the commoditization of the thermal coal industry) and the pioneering Spectron eMetals trading platform for members of the London Metals Exchange
in 2000. Sean led the acquisition of the Kagem emerald mine in Zambia in 2007. Today he is CEO of both Gemfields and Fabergé, having served on their boards since 2008 and 2007 respectively. A fervent Afrophile,
he delights in explaining how Africa has become the world’s #1 exporter of both emeralds and rubies during the last decade, and how the respective host countries are seeing more money from their resources remain
“in country” than ever. Sean is passionate about conservation and actively promotes #conservationgemstones to further the contribution made by the sale of African emeralds and rubies to communities and wildlife
in conservation areas in Africa.

Rita Lahlou
Head of Jewelry, Amazon Europe

Rita Lahlou is the head of jewelry business Amazon Europe. Since she joined Amazon in 2013, she has held diverse managerial roles in business development, product management, planning, buying, and strategy on
the marketplace and retail businesses across Amazon US and Europe. Over the last 4 years she has been managing the jewelry business of Amazon and has been responsible for buying and strategy for 5 marketplaces:
UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. Prior to Amazon, she was an Entrepreneur in Residence at Rocket Internet – a global incubator which invests in online business models in fast-growing markets and, previously, a
Global Brand Manager at Reckitt Benckiser – a multinational consumer goods company. Her areas of interest include jewelry, retail and consumer tech, and digital innovation. A Moroccan national, Rita is multilingual

and has lived in seven countries to date. Rita earned her BA magna cum laude in international business and economics from Al Akhawayn University and Bocconi University. She also holds an MBA from Harvard
Business School, where she was awarded the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship.

Veeraya Trirotanan
Sales Director, Veerasak Gems

Veeraya Trirotanan is the eldest daughter of Mr. Veerasak Trirotanan, founder of Veerasak Gems Co., Ltd. Veerasak Gems has been specializing in precious rubies in the gems industry for more than 30 years.
Inheriting the passion from her father, Veeraya has joined the company 4 years ago to continue the business along with her brother.

Vincent Pardieu
Field Gemologist, VP Consulting SPC

Vincent Pardieu is a Consultant Field Gemologist at “VP Consulting SPC”, a writer and a documentary producer. For the past 20 years he travelled to gem mining areas around the world for gemological research pur-
poses. With 148 field expeditions to Asia, Africa Australia and South America, probably nobody has ever visited as many colored stones mines around the world. He witnessed first hand the complex realities associated
with producing colored gemstones nowadays and he specialized on origin determination of colored gemstones such as rubies, sapphires, emeralds and spinels: From 2002 to 2017 he was worked first as Director for the
AIGS Lab in Bangkok, as gemologist at the Gübelin Gem Lab in Switzerland, as Senior Manager, Field Gemology at the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) laboratory in Bangkok. Since Jan 2017 he created his own
consultancy company: “VP Consulting”. Under VP Consulting he has collaborated with the “Bahrain Institute for Pearls & Gemstones (DANAT)” to build their reference collection and is also helping “Greenland Ruby”

for their project in Aappaluttoq (Greenland).

Omar Wahid Hatta
CEO, ICA | GemLab

Omar Wahid Hatta is the CEO of ICA | GemLab. Having grown up in a multi-cultural environment, Omar was born in Vancouver, Canada and raised in Taiwan, Thailand, France, and the United States. His upbringing and
background helped him embrace diversity. Through this, Omar learned the significance of social understanding and the importance of viewing things from many different perspectives. He is able to easily integrate into any
culture with an unwavering respect for foreign disciplines. After college, Omar moved to Europe to pursue his love and passion for cooking. His five years in the hospitality and food industry involved training at illustrious
French culinary schools such as Le Cordon Bleu, Alain Ducasse Gastronomy Formation and L’école Internationale De Pâtisserie et Chocolatier Olivier Bajard. Rigorous training and persistency led to jobs at Michelin-rated
restaurants, notably Nobelhart & Schmutzig (1-Michelin Star) in Berlin as well as other well-known establishments in Paris and Hong Kong. With a unique perspective and understanding for customer relations, Omar has
a clear grasp for service, placing significance on the experiences of cherished clients. In Omar’s eyes, a successful laboratory must work in unison. Every member must perform their task with precision and accuracy before
passing it on to the next person - much like in a kitchen’s assembly line. A team that cooperates and acts in harmony is one that will flourish. It is from his involvement in the F&B industry that laid the foundation for how
Omar would run ICA | GemLab. As technology is business is a growing necessity, Omar is taking the essential steps to digitize ICA | GemLab. He seeks to move past the notions of what a traditional gemological laboratory is
by replacing and enhancing conventional methods of gemstone valuation, teaching the newer generation that there is a sustainable way to do things. The end goal is to transition to an age of technology that betters the entirety
of the gemstone industry. His revolutionary plan involves providing transparency, accessibility, and education to all who uses ICA | GemLab’s services. He believes that if everyone had access to the information gemological
laboratories have, interest and appreciation in colored gemstones is guaranteed to be reignited. “What makes a company successful is not profit but is in fact contributing to the evolution of an industry. I want to use technology
to bring back the glamour, the art, and the fashion to the gems and jewelry industry.” Omar Wahid Hatta

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Santpal Sinchawla
Managing Director, Sant Enterprises

Santpal was born in August of 1960 in Rangoon, Burma. In 1964, due to the political upheaval in Burma, leading to socialism, a 4 year old Santpal along with his family had to migrate to Bangkok. He completed his schooling
in The British and American schools in Thailand, graduating out of International School Bangkok in 1978. Santpal’s interest in Gemstones was quite evident from an early age and hence he decided to complete the Graduate
Gemologist programs from two of the most prestigious institutions, Gemological Institute of America (1978-1979) and German Gemological Institute (1982-1983) for a better understanding of the Industry. After graduation he
started working and learning the ropes of gemstone trading under his father, Mr. Joginder Sinchawla, one of the pioneers of the Gemstone Industry in Thailand. A business he mastered quickly and which remains his passion till
today. He also completed the Owner President Program from Harvard Business School in the year 2010. He is well known in the World Gems Trading circle from miners, cutters to wholesalers, his name is invariably linked with
development, growth and continuity of the worldwide gemstone industry. From humble and difficult beginnings with family company S.S.Agencies, to leading Sant Enterprises into a new horizon, Santpal has become a power-
house in the Rubies and Sapphires business. His vision, integrity and pioneering abilities has made Sant Enterprises into one of the Major Exporters of loose Corundum from Thailand. He started to give back to the Gemstone
Industry from an early age itself; serving on the boards of ICA in the capacity of Vice President for 3 consecutive terms and is currently the Secretary of the board. He has served on the board of TGJTA for 12 years. He also served
on the CIBJO board for a period of 2 years. Santpal recently won a string of Large Gold Medals for his Postal History Collection ‘Classic India used in Burma”, exhibited in Bangkok, Wellington, New York, Taipei and Melbourne
during 2016-2017. Finally culminating with a Grand Prix International Medal, the highest in Philately at Nanning Exhibition in China. Santpal is happily married to Ashoo, his childhood sweetheart for 33 wonderful years and
is blessed with two lovely children Anurak now 29 and Anisha 24. His interests include Philately, Antique Maps, Gourmet dining and Philanthropic activities. Being an avid traveler, he has visited all six continents on business
and pleasure. Recently, he became a proud grandfather to a baby boy, Aavir, born to his son Anurak and daughter-in-law Natasha.

Tarang Arora
Creative Director, Amrapali

Born and raised in Jaipur, Tarang Arora comes from a family credited as the creators of one of India’s most magnificent heritage jewellery brands, Amrapali. Having a retail presence in over 38 locations world over, in-
cluding India and internationally. http://www.amrapalijewels.com/stores/ Amrapali Jaipur is a celebration of the timeless Indian art of adornment and authentic master craftsmanship. Breathing new life into centuries-old
traditions of jeweler, Amrapali embodies a unique, bold and eclectic style. Like the legend of its namesake, a renowned courtesan of ancient India, Amrapali Jaipur is the expression of a mysterious, eternal world of delight.

The love for creating & designing jewellery came naturally to Tarang and he decided to academically pursue study in the field at GIA London, where he successfully graduated as a Gemologist. Along with this, he also
studied Jewellery Designing, Manufacturing and CAD CAM. Tarang’s areas of expertise involve Strategy, Vision and Mission Planning, Public Relations and Media Relations, Profitability and Cost Analysis, Team Building

and Performance Improvement and Programs, Services and Products. Tarang joined the Amrapali group of companies in 2004 and today, heads the International Operations and Design team. He was instrumental in
getting Amrapali to Harrods and start Amrapali’s international flagship store in Beauchamp place, London. In 2017, Tarang was invited to speak at the prestigious “Conde Nast International Luxury Conference” invite
by Suzy Menkes at Muscat, Oman. He is a member of YPO (Young Presidents Organisation) and has acted his surrogate at various public events. Tarang is also credited with revamping internal procedures and controls,
recognized/reallocated staff and implemented best practices and performance monitoring systems in support of continuous improvement. Tribe Amrapali, a new venture initiated by Tarang is a sub-brand of Amrapali
with its presence in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and also online. Under his guidance, Amrapali jewels have recently launched a museum called “Amrapali Museum” for showcasing Indian jewellery and craftsmanship as well
as a research centre for designers who are keen to study the Indian jewellery. Over the years, Tarang has garnered many notable achievements for the brand; Ethnic Jewellery Designer Award in India by Gold Souk Best
Accessory Designer Award by Marie-Claire at Marie-Claire India Fashion Awards Most Innovative Jewellery Designer Award of the Year Highest Exports Award of the Year by GJEPC Best Bridal Jewellery Award of the

Year Couture Jewellery Award of the Year Highest Exports Award of the Year by GJEPC PERSONAL COVERAGES:
Tarang Arora the CEO of Amrapali Jewels was covered by How to spend it a luxury lifestyle magazine by Financial Times.

Tarang Arora was covered by Harrods Magazine where talked about Jewellery, workmanship and more.
He was selected by VOGUE India for Tribes of Cool List –The Originals.
He was selected for GQ Best Dressed Men in India.
He was selected by Grazia as the 100 Most Influential Indian
He was selected by CNT India as the 50 Most Glamorous Travellers

He was selected by Blacbook as the top 100 Indian Luxury’s Most Influential
He was covered by various other publications like: Hello, Business Today, Departures, Outlook Business etc.

Kenneth Scarrat
Managing Partner, ICA | GemLab

Kenneth Scarratt has worked in the pearls and gemstones research field since 1973. He has published over 100 articles and research papers in numerous publications, delivered lectures and training in countries across the
world. He has also co-authored a number of books including The Crown Jewels, The Pearl and The Dragon.
His leadership and research roles have included management of prestigious international gemmological centres. From 2005 to 2015, he was the Managing Director, Southeast Asia for the Gemological Institute of America
(GIA) where he oversaw the development of the new GIA laboratory. Between 1998 and 2005, he was the Laboratory Director, AGTA Gemological Testing Center in New York. From 1993 to 1997 he was the Director,
Laboratory Services, Education and Research at the Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand and held the role of Chief Executive and Director of Laboratory Services at the Gemmological Association
and Gem Testing Laboratory of Great Britain Between 1989 and 1992, Scarratt oversaw the merger of the Laboratory and Association, having first been appointed as the Managing Director of the Gem Testing Laboratory
of Great Britain in 1981. In 2017, he was appointed the CEO of DANAT (the Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones).
Throughout his career, Scarratt has examined all the British Crown Jewels including both the Cullinan I and Cullinan II diamonds, as well as the Koh-i-Noor diamond, The Imperial State Crown, Queen Elizabeth the
Queen Mothers Crown, St. Edwards Crown, Queen Mary’s Crown, the Sceptres and Orbs. He has also examined the world’s largest polished diamond, the ‘Golden Jubilee’.

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SMRITI BOHRA
Senior Design Director, MASTERSTROKES by JEWELS EMPORIUM

Smriti Bohra, a textile and fashion professional, graduated from the MGD school, Jaipur in 1987. Following her creative instinct, she wanted to pursue design and even got accepted at NID. But being from a conservative family
background she was not allowed to follow her heart. She thus completed her professional qualification in textile and fashion design from Jaipur.
Post marriage she successfully ran a business in her area of expertise for a few years until she was pulled into the family business of jewelry in 2000. From here on, she started her creative journey at Jewels Emporium. Her
canvas being bigger because of the textile and fashion background, her thought process was unconventional and different than most of the trained jewelry designers. She has been creating artistic jewels ever since, translating
myriad themes from abstract to nature in precious metal infused with diverse colored gemstones, diamonds and french enameling. At present she leads the Creative brains at MAASTERSTROKES, a fine jewelry brand by Jewels
Emporium. A lover of art and music, her creative genius stems from her passion for colors. She selects and combines colors from a palette of 350 hues in French enamel and creates exotic paintings on gold. Being her own best
critic, she challenges herself and drives her team to surpass their own previous standards. Challenges excite her. In fact, she believes in using any gem material which others may generally find difficult to use in jewelry or would
find difficult to design. She believes that any gem material with unusual shape, size or color offers a unique design opportunity. She has experimented with Conchs, Abalones and gemstone carvings and is continually looking
for more such materials. Compromise does not exist in her dictionary when it comes to quality and detailing. For her jewelry is not just visual, it is also a tactile experience. Every jewel must be detailed in terms of design not
just from the wearable side but even from the hidden side. The jewel must be comfortable and easy to wear apart from just being beautiful.
For her jewelry is timeless and ageless. She does not believe in any trend forecasts. She believes in creating trends that transcend time.
To her, creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected.

Stephan Reif
Green Dragon Mine

Stephan Reif is a graduated gemologist (GIA) with a master degree in business & law from the university of economics in Vienna, Austria. From young age his passion for gemstones and traveling took him around the
world to source for precious gems. During his career, he has been involved in multiple gemstone mining and exploration projects around the globe and he successfully introduced gems from new deposits to the global gem

& jewelry markets. Stephan’s expertise includes the sourcing, mining, grading, cutting and marketing of colored gemstones and diamonds. He is an expert on the evaluation of gemstone deposits and building vertically
integrated mine to market operations. Currently, Stephan is director of MRD GmbH an integrated gemstone supplier and developer of a leading Demantoid garnet deposit. In addition, he works as a consultant to private and

institutional investors on various aspects of the colored gemstone & diamond industry.

Thomas Hainschwang
GGTL - Gemlab, Liechtenstein

Mr. Hainschwang’s specializations are diamonds and colored diamonds, topics on which he published numerous scientific articles. He is currently carrying on advanced
research on colored diamonds with major scientific organizations.

Susan Jacques
President, Gemological Institute of America (GIA)

Susan M. Jacques was appointed GIA’s president and CEO in January 2014. Before joining GIA, she served as president and CEO of Borsheim’s Fine Jewelry and Gifts in Omaha, Nebraska for 20 years and reported
directly to Warren Buffett. Ms. Jacques is a member of several trade organizations, including the Jewelers of America Ethical Initiatives committee and the Jewelers Vigilance Committee board. She received the Wom-
en’s Jewelry Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010 and was inducted into National Jeweler’s Retailer Hall of Fame in 1997. Ms. Jacques joined the GIA Board of Governors in May 1996 and served as chair

from 2008 to 2013.

Pramod Kumar Agarwal
Chairman, GJEPC India

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ICA International Poster Mr. Yehuda Kassif
Competition October 2019 Moderator

“Gemstones, a genuine treasure
to hold on to”


The International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA) will
have its biannual congress in Bangkok Thailand on October
12-15, 2019.
Thailand is world known as one of the best sources
for unique red ruby, blue sapphire, padparadscha sapphire,
and many other high-quality gemstones. Bangkok is the
beating heart of one of the most beautiful arts and culture
centers in the far east of Asia, as well as a capital of stunning
pieces of jewelry.
This is the third time that Bangkok is hosting ICA
congress since ICA was founded in 1984. Previous congresses
were events to remember. During the years of its inception,
ICA has become one of the international leading jewelry and
gemstone trade organizations.
Jewelry shops in Bangkok are rich with rare piec-
es, the most astonishing designs and the overwhelming and
outstanding gold and silver craft. No wonder that coming to
Bangkok makes anyone a captive of the loveliest welcoming.
Traditionally, ICA conducts during its congresses a poster
competition dedicated to the promotion of gemstones. In the
last couple of years, the world was introduced to “fake real-
ity”, “fake facts” and “fake news” which had an effect on our
society. ICA looks on the coming congress as a unique op-
portunity to contribute its opinion on the subject emphasiz-
ing the authenticity of gemstones – unique colored minerals

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The Birth of Gems: Rough to Regal, an award
winning philatelic collection by Ashoo Sinchawla

Jewelry is a universal form of adornment. Jewelry made from flowers, shells, colored and shining stones survives from prehis-
toric times. It is likely that from an early date it was worn as a protection from the dangers of life or as a mark of status or rank.
This philatelic collection aims to be a way, a route: from the mines of precious metals and the deposits of fine precious stones
to the Crowns of Royals and Monarchs.
The thematic collection is segregated into Precious Metals and Gems, the jewelry making techniques and the history associated
in Jewels.
It recently won a Large Vermeil medal with 86 points at the 36th Asian International Stamp Exhibition in Singapore, 2019.

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Chantaburi Trip

17 Oct – 18 Oct

Day 1 – Thu 17 October

8.00 – Pick up Shangri-la Hotel Bangkok and depart
13.00 – Arrive Chanthaburi City & Lunch
14.00 – Visit Gemstone Factory
15.30 – Visit Sapphire mine
17.00 – Visit The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Church
18.30 – Check in & Dinner at Maneechan Resort

Day 2 – Friday 18 October

9.00 – Breakfast
10.30 – Check Out from Maneechan Hotel
11.00 – Visit Gem Market
12.00 – Visit Chanthaboon Historic Town
13.00 – Lunch
14.00 – Depart from Chanthaburi to Bangkok
19.00 – Arrive Bangkok at Shangri-la Hotel

Remark : The tour program may be altered depending on
the weather on tour date.

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Mogok Trip

17 Oct – 21 Oct

Day 1: 17 October: Day 4: 20 October

Fly BKK to MDL (PG709 11:55-13:20) 7:00 – Breakfast
15:00 – Visit Yadanar Mall or Jade Market or 9:30 – Fresh Market
10:30 – Gadoat Tha Area
Free Schedule 11:30 – Mogok Orphanage
18:00 – Dinner Rest in Mandalay 12:30 – Lunch
13:30 – Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda
Day 2: 18 October 14:30 – Baw Lone Gyi
16:30 – Chan Thar Gyi Pagoda Viewpoint
7:00 – Drive from Mandalay to Mogok 18:30 – Dinner
15:00 – Visit Pan Chan Market
17:00 – Home Gem Cutting Day 5: 21 October
18:00 – Baddamyar Zaydi
18:30 – Check In and Dinner Golden Butterfly 5:00 – Drive from Mogok to Mandalay Fly
Hotel MDL to BKK (PG710 14:05-16:30)

Day 3: 19 October

7:00 – Breakfast
9:30 – Visit Mini Mingalar Market
10:30 – Ruby Land Viewpoint
12:00 – Lunch (Daw Shan Noodles)
13:00 – Yadanar Gaday Gadar
16:00 – Pan Ma Market
17:30 – Daw Nan Kyi Hill
19:30 – Dinner (Lu Thu Restaurant)

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NorthCerunltTuhraalilTarnidp

16 Oct – 20 Oct

Day 1: Wednesday 16 October

Morning: Arrive at Chiang Mai airport, transfer to Hotel. Dinner at
River Market

Day 2: Thursday 17 October

AM: Visit Elephant Camp, Visit local tribal people and Tiger King-
dom. Lunch at Rabieng Na Mae Rim and Dinner at Khantoke

Day 3: Friday 18 October

Visit Doi Suthep, Phuping palace and Wat Umong. Lunch at Galae
Rest and Dinner at Gallery.

Day 4: Saturday 19 October

City tour by Tuk Tuk; Mae Ping River cruise, visit Chiang Mai Life-
style and Handicraft centre. Dinner at Ban Suan San Pee Sue.

Day 5: Sunday 20 October

Drive to airport; Fly back to Bangkok.

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Spouse Tours

Oct 13th
9:30am - 4pm, Day Tour to Ayutthaya,

a UNESCO World Heritage site former capital of Thailand. Admire
beautiful temple & palaces with a mix of architectural sites. Stopo-
ver for lunch at the beautiful: ‘Summer House’

Oct 14th
8am – 1pm, Half Day Temple Tour

Visit the world famous Emerald Buddha (Grand Palace) & Reclin-
ing Buddha (Wat Pho) with English speaking Guide.

2pm – 5pm, ‘Mandarin Oriental Thai Cooking School’

Private Class with Thai Chef. This is limited to a max of 25 people
so please enroll in ASAP. If the class gets fully booked, we will have
a trip to Jim Thompson House for the late entrants.

Oct 15th
Shopping day at leisure…

2 vans will be provided for those who want to go shopping so
please register on arrival at the registration desk for those interest-
ed!!

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Social Events

12 October

Cocktails & Dinner

Entertaining performances, 3D show, live band and free flowing
cocktails.
6:30 PM onwards, Shangri-La Ballroom

13 October

An Evening in Siam

Experience food and cultural shows from different regions of Thai-
land with all their local delicacies and attractions. The setting is in
a historical mansion built during the reign of King Chulalongkorn
(Rama V)
6:30PM, Departure from Shangri-La hotel lobby to The House
on Sathorn

14 October

The Eternal Love Cruise Dinner

Experience the enchanted Chao Phraya River on board the majestic
Chao Phraya Princess VI cruise.
1 Michelin Star sit down dinner, spectacular fireworks and SFX
lighting effects.
Departure from Shangri-La pier at 7:15PM

15 October

The GALA

ICA Congress Closing Ceremony and ICA | Gemlab’s
Grand Opening event. From a gem-inspired interactive
sound and art installation to Michelin-star dining,
awards ceremony and fundraising auctions, the
evening will be memorable.
6:00PM onwards at Avani+ Riverside Hotel

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Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences

@AIGSTHAILAND @AIGS @AIGSTHAILAND WWW.AIGSTHAILAND.COM

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