Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) elected Dr. Wilfried Hoerner (Argor Heraeus SA) as its new Chairman of the Board and re- appointed Mr. Mark Jenkins (Signet Jewelers Ltd) as Honorary Secretary. These elections took place at RJC’s AGM during the JCK jewellery fair in Las Vegas, which was also the first time the RJC has held its AGM in the US.

RJC’s members also elected to the Board Michael Steinmetz (Leo Schachter Diamonds LLC), Ankur Goyal (MMTC-PAMP India Pvt Ltd), Jean-Baptiste Dembreville (Baume & Mercier), Bernard Malek (Cartier SA) and Harriet Kelsall (Harriet Kelsall Jewellery Design Ltd), representing their respective fora.

"Although there are challenges ahead, I look forward to working with the Management Team to take advantage of the many opportunities as we prepare for the next decade of the RJC,” says Wilfried Hoerner, Chairman of the RJC Board of Directors. RJC Executive Director Andrew Bone added, “On behalf of the Management Team I’d like to warmly congratulate Wilfried on his appointment. I’d also like to thank Charles Chaussepied for his service as Interim Chair. I am both delighted and grateful that he has agreed to be vice-Chair for the next few months.”

Following the AGM, RJC hosted an open discussion with a selection of panelist guests from the jewellery pipeline to discuss the value proposition of RJC Certification and its impact on their companies’ performance against such issues as mandatory legislation, access to global markets and how businesses can prepare for the next wave of discerning consumers.