Mahesh Khemlani took over as President of the Panama Diamond Exchange in a glittering ceremony attended by members and invited guests from Panama government and diplomatic community. They included Manuel Grimaldo, Panama’s Vice Minister Of Commerce; Shamma Jain, Ambassador of India; Koenraad Lenaerts, Ambassador of Belgium; Ana Berta De Alberto, Ambassador of Argentina; Isabel Méndez, Commercial Attaché at the Embassy of Israel; Patrick Mallmann, Diplomatic Attaché at the Embassy of Brazil; Miguel Sebastián, Minister Counselor at the Embassy of the Dominican Republic; Boris Calderón, Commercial Attaché at the Embassy of Bolivia; and Viviana Artzyeli, wife of the Ambassador of Israel. 

The ceremony also witnessed the installation of Ali Pastorini as Senior Vice President. She joins PDE’s executive team, which also includes Executive Vice President Joseph Kuzi and Vice President Judy Meana 

Mahesh Khemlani took the opportunity to speak about the promise of the diamond exchange in Latin America’s growing gemstone and jewelry trade. “This is a business that performs at optimal strength when it achieves a critical mass of personnel and products. We are building at PDE a large and active community of professionals, the like of which this region has never before seen, and collectively they will achieve that absolutely essential critical mass. We have clear vision of the path ahead.” 

Eli Izhakoff, the founding chairman of PDE, congratulated the new president and officers, and emphasized the importance of the mission that stands before them. “Solid foundations have been laid, but now begins the critical task of building upon them, establishing here in Panama not only Latin America’s leading diamond, gemstone and jewelry trading organization, but also the business infrastructure that will drive the growth of the industry in the region. I am confident that we now have the leadership in place that will make this happen,” he said.