Antwerp, Belgium – Ari Epstein, the longstanding Chief Executive Officer of the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), has announced his resignation after serving in the position for 13 years, as revealed by the trade body on Thursday.
Epstein’s departure is scheduled for the upcoming Tuesday, according to statements released by the AWDC. The organization refrained from providing details regarding the reasons behind his resignation or the timeline for appointing a successor.
In a statement, AWDC President Isidore Mörsel praised Epstein’s tenure, remarking, “This marks the end of an era of visionary leadership and significant contributions to not only our company but the industry at large. Under Ari Epstein’s leadership, AWDC has seen unparalleled growth, innovation, and expansion, strengthening our position as a global leader in the diamond industry.”
The AWDC has recently faced heightened scrutiny with the imposition of Group of Seven (G7) sanctions on Russian diamonds. The European Union’s ban on the import of polished diamonds originating from Russian rough has resulted in notable disruptions at Antwerp’s Diamond Office, the city’s customs center. In response to the delays, 146 Belgian companies have lodged complaints with the AWDC.
Moreover, concerns have been raised within industry circles regarding proposals mandating all rough diamonds to pass through Antwerp to facilitate the sale of polished diamonds within the G7.
The AWDC, representing Antwerp’s diamond trade, has undergone several leadership transitions in the past two years. Mörsel assumed the role of president in October, succeeding David Gotlib, who had taken over from Chaim Pluczenik just over a year prior.
This development underscores a period of change and challenges within the global diamond trade, with Antwerp positioned at the center of these transformations.
