This year’s honorees include a Midwest retailer and two multi-store independents, one in New York and the other in New England.
GIA’s Fall Symposium Will Close with ‘Futurescape Forum’
A panel of six industry leaders will share their predictions about the future of the jewelry trade.

Carlsbad, Calif.--With today’s rapidly changing world, the future of the trade is anyone’s guess, though six industry leaders are going to offer their best insights on the matter this fall.
The Gemological Institute of America’s sixth International Gemological Symposium, scheduled for Oct. 7 to 9 in Carlsbad, California, will close with “Futurescape Forum,” a panel featuring six prominent leaders from across the trade discussing the industry’s trajectory.
It will be moderated by David Ager of the Harvard Business School.
Panelists are: De Beers CEO Bruce Cleaver; Signet Jewelers CEO Gina Drosos; Blue Nile CEO Jason Goldberger; Diamond Cellar Holdings CEO Andy Johnson; Rahul Kadakia, international head of jewelry at Christie’s; and Kent Wong, managing director of Chow Tai Fook.
“Futurescape Forum is a glimpse into what tomorrow might look like for gems and jewelry. These six forward thinking leaders will explore how new technology--including artificial intelligence--and changing consumer behavior will define the future for our industry,” said GIA CMO and senior vice president Kathryn Kimmel. “The unparalleled insights from this forum will chart a course--perhaps more than one--for business transformation. I can think of no better way to close the sixth International Gemological Symposium.”
This year’s symposium will be centered on the theme of “New Challenges. Creating Opportunities.”
It will include a research track featuring presentations by leading scientists and academics over the course of three days. Professors from the Harvard Business School will lead another track on business concepts and innovations, using the renowned case-study method employed in all of its programs.
For more information about the International Gemological Symposium or to register for the event, visit symposium.gia.edu.
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