In a major initiative on its part, the Dubai Diamond Exchange recently launched its Dubai Diamond Finance Seminar series with more than 100 industry participants in attendance ranging from local bankers to the world’s leading diamond companies. The main aim of the seminars is to  raise awareness of diamond financing options and how Dubai’s trade infrastructure and financial institutions can further support the diamond trade. 

As Peter Meeus, DDE Chairman, elaborated, “Securitisation, credit insurance and asset-backed trade finance are new ways of how we believe we can develop and bring diamond financing to the next stage. The interactive format of the seminar enabled industry experts to instigate discussions resulting in an exchange of knowledge that will not only improve the diamond market in Dubai but also the entire industry.” 

 Those who spoke in the seminar included industry leaders Dilip Mehta, CEO of Rosy Blue who talked about the benefits of Rosy Blue’s diamond securitisation programmes; Aditya Gandhi, director of Azure Diamonds who spoke on the topic of debt insurance for medium sized companies; and Sanjeev Dutta, director of DMCC Tea Centre and DMCC Tradeflow, who shared the latest on DMCC Tradeflow’s inventory financing programme and how it has revolutionised the lending market for Dubai’s diamond industry.