The World Diamond Council (WDC) has appointed Feriel Zerouki as its new president having served three years as vice president and almost two decades as a leading advocate for enhancing standards and driving progress within the diamond industry. She took over from Edward Asscher, who completed the second of two non-consecutive terms as WDC president.
Zerouki, who was born in the United Arab Emirates and is of Algerian origin, began her career in the diamond sector in 2005 as a supply chain analyst at De Beers' Diamond Trading Company.
The WDC board has also approved the election of Ronnie VanderLinden as the new vice president.
Zerouki stressed her belief that the diamond industry association can play a uniting role within the Kimberley Process as its membership transcends geographic and industry lines.
“We all —participants and observers— have a vested interest in the success of the KP and the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, and in ensuring that they are provided the scope and the means to protect the diamond distribution chain moving forward,” she said.
“The current KP Review and Reform cycle, in which WDC is deeply involved, is of critical importance, for it addresses directly what needs to be done to position the KP effectively in a much-changed and fast-evolving landscape.”
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
