GSI’s Debbie Azar Appointed to the RJC’s Board of Directors
The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) appointed GSI’s Founding Partner Ms. Debbie Azar to its Board of Directors and made additional senior level appointments to its Board. This comes at a time when the RJC is enhancing its leadership as a standard-setting and certification body within the jewellery industry. The appointments were announcement on May 17th at the RJC’s Annual General Meeting in Moscow amidst a gathering of the many RJC member organizations worldwide.
Speaking on the occasion,Debbie Azar expressed feeling honored to ‘serve on the RJC Board of members that includes leaders of the jewelry industry all over the world.’ Her journey in the industry kicked off with a self-owned costume jewelry business and further acquiring more knowledge in marketing, sales and business development across many companies. She joined Mark Gershburgin March 2005 to set up GSI. At present, Debbie Azaris an active member at several industry organizations and charities and is a board member of Jewelers for Children.
According to GSI, Debbie Azar’s entrepreneurship skills, vision and clarity have supported it gain a continuous and swift growth momentum globally. She is recognized for her ‘social demeanor, passion for business and her commitment to meeting customer and industry needs’.
Discussions at the RJC Annual General Meeting centered on the future road map and ways to push rigor, responsibility,and transparency which the RJC plans to bring to the upstream and downstream in the industry.Laboratory grown diamonds and their detection and disclosure was a key topic. A panel with industry experts and RJC Executive Director Andrew Bone as moderator analyzed detection methods and technologies, best practices and ways to conduct open and transparent conversations with their customers and consumers.
Andrew highlighted the focus of the RJC was to ‘be the recognized standards and certification organization for the supply chain. The appointment of three highly experienced Board Officers and a number of new Board Members will further improve the depth of expertise we can offer our members across the jewelry sector.’ He noted that each brings a wealth of knowledge distinguishing them as standard-setters. ‘We are delighted to have appointed them to continue to champion our work globally.’
