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HONG KONG, Sept. 18, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The seventh annual JNA Awards, one of the most prestigious award programmes in the international jewellery and gemstone industry, has been declared a spectacular success. The glittering gala event, which honoured industry forerunners and groundbreakers, was held during the September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair Hong Kong on 17 September.
At this grand evening of celebration, 44 Honourees or finalists across 12 award categories that made exceptional contributions to the industry were acknowledged. Out of the 44 finalists, 15 Recipients were announced in a star-studded ceremony witnessed by prominent industry leaders and influencers.
Organised by UBM Asia, the JNA Awards is dedicated to the promotion and enhancement of excellence, leadership, innovation and best business practices in the jewellery and gemstone community.
Prida Tiasuwan, Chairman of Pranda Jewelry Public Co Ltd -- PRANDA Group, has been feted with the Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest accolade conferred by the JNA Awards. Prida is well-known for his tireless effort in bringing Thailand-made jewellery to the forefront of the global market. His bold vision and revolutionary ideas not only contributed to the success of PRANDA Group, but also benefited the jewellery industry as a whole.
The 15 Award Recipients across 12 categories are:
Letitia Chow, Chairperson of the JNA Awards, Founder of JNA, and Director of Business Development -- Jewellery Group at UBM Asia, said, "Our industry is facing some challenging times, but we should not be discouraged. Instead, this is the time to be innovative. This is the time to seek business opportunities with a different light and angle, and form alliances and collaborations to create win-win situations. Our Honouree companies and individuals embrace this mindset to drive their businesses forward. Once again, I would like to express my deep appreciation and sincere congratulations to all companies and individuals who took part in this year's Awards. Together, we can make this industry flourish."
Kent Wong, Managing Director of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Ltd, remarked, "Having been a JNA Awards Headline Partner for seven consecutive years, we are thrilled to witness the continuous pursuit of breakthroughs and accomplishments by our peers. Through our concerted efforts, I believe we can drive the development of the jewellery industry and let it shine for generations to come."
Lin Qiang, President & Managing Director of the Shanghai Diamond Exchange (SDE), added, "The Honourees for Industry Innovation of the Year were extremely impressive this year and nicely represented the entrepreneurial spirit of the jewellery industry. All the companies are blazing trails in their respective sectors, but it is only through innovation that one can truly stand out. I love reading about success stories stemming from innovation -- be it in the context of technology, business models and product development. What those inspiring stories tell us is that change can be a positive thing, and that taking risks can lead to tremendous growth."
Kenneth Scarratt, CEO of the Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones (DANAT), shared, "The JNA Awards in exemplifying excellence provides a vital avenue for talented professionals to show the world that the gem and jewellery industry is truly innovative, diverse and transparent. The Recipients this year, as in previous years, are great global trade ambassadors and we should all be grateful for their contributions and support in setting the standards to which we should all aspire."
In addition to Headline Partners Chow Tai Fook, SDE and DANAT, the JNA Awards is supported by Honoured Partners KGK Group, Guangdong Gems & Jade Exchange, and Guangdong Land Holdings Limited (GDLAND).
For more information, visit www.JNAawards.com or contact:
JNA Awards Marketing
UBM Asia (Hong Kong)
+852 2516-2184
marketing@jnaawards.com
Notes for Editors:
1. About the Headline Partner
1.1 Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited (www.chowtaifook.com)
Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited (the "Group"; SEHK stock code: 1929) was listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong in December 2011.
Founded in 1929, the Group's iconic brand "Chow Tai Fook" has been widely recognised for its trustworthiness and authenticity, and is renowned for its product design, quality and value. The success of the Group and its iconic brand is rooted in innovation, craftsmanship and heritage. The Group also holds other jewellery brands including CHOW TAI FOOK T MARK, Hearts On Fire, MONOLOGUE and SOINLOVE, which are the first examples of a long term multi-brand strategy rollout.
The Group's commitment to sustainable growth is anchored in its "Smart+" strategy, which is in place to promote long term innovation in the business, in people and in culture. Another asset underpinning sustainable growth is a sophisticated vertically integrated business model. This supports the Group by fostering excellence and extending opportunities along the entire value chain to communities and industry partners.
With an extensive retail network in Greater China, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and the United States, and a fast-growing e-commerce business, the Group is implementing effective online-to-offline ("O2O") strategies to succeed in today's omni-channel retail environment.
1.2 Shanghai Diamond Exchange (www.cnsde.com)
Authorised by the State Council, the Shanghai Diamond Exchange (SDE) is the only diamond exchange in China and provides diamond dealers a fair and safe transaction venue under close supervision. It also enjoys a favourable taxation policy and is operated in accordance with international best practices of the diamond industry.
Established in 2000, the SDE is a non-profit, self-regulating membership organisation and a member of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses.
1.3 Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones -- DANAT (http://www.danat.bh)
The Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones (DANAT) was established in 2017, at the instigation of HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain. DANAT was formed as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company (Mumtalakat), the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom. As an organisation, DANAT has evolved from the Pearl & Gem Testing Laboratory of Bahrain (the first laboratory of its kind in the region), which was established in 1990. DANAT was formed to expand upon and enhance the excellent work of the laboratory, with the vision of becoming the world's preferred institute for natural pearl and gemstone third-party verification services and scientific research.
DANAT plays a vital role in protecting and enhancing the public trust in pearls, gemstones and jewellery. With its offices located at the iconic Bahrain World Trade Center, DANAT aims to establish itself as the window into international markets, serving local and global clients and bolstering the reputation of the Kingdom as a leading centre for pearl and gemstone expertise. DANAT is an authority on industry standards, scientific knowledge and education, and is committed to the highest standards of professional and personal ethics. It is dedicated to supporting the pearl and gemstone industry and offers training programmes locally, regionally and internationally to a new generation of gemmologists, industry professionals and gemmology enthusiasts.
2. About the Honoured Partners
2.1 KGK Group (www.kgkgroup.com)
The KGK Group was founded in 1905 by Kesrimal Kothari and Ghisilal Kothari of Jaipur (India), with the humble task of trading gemstones between India and Burma. With a global presence across 19 countries today, the privately held group has evolved into one of the most preferred brands in the gemstone and jewellery industry, with a vertically integrated operation that spans the entire supply chain from mines to brands. KGK is one of the few conglomerates covering the entire spectrum of mining, sourcing, manufacturing and distribution of coloured gemstones, diamonds and jewellery for over a century. KGK Group has a resilient team of 12,000 employees with operations and offices in Asia, Australia, North and South America, Europe and Africa. Having achieved an impeccable reputation in the gemstone, diamond and jewellery trade, the group has recently diversified into real estate.
2.2 The Guangdong Gems & Jade Exchange (http://en.gdgje.com/)
Founded in February 2016, the Guangdong Gems & Jade Exchange is one of two provincial jewellery trading platforms authorised by the People's Government of Guangdong Province.
Aggregating resources from key industrial hubs across Guangdong including Guangzhou, Pingzhou of Foshan, Yangmei of Jieyang and Sihui of Zhaoqing, the Guangdong Gems & Jade Exchange joins hands with world-renowned jewellery brands in setting up an international supply chain integrated service platform that offers a secure and convenient trading experience for domestic and overseas jewellers.
The Guangdong Gems & Jade Exchange is set to benefit China's jewellery industry in a variety of areas, such as the promotion of a healthier and more balanced international division of labour, foreign trade development, cross-border resource management and consumer market growth. As part of this effort, it will take full advantage of the base and influence of Guangdong's jewellery industry and the benefits stemming from the Belt and Road Initiative to establish linkages with national and global gemstone and jewellery markets.
2.3 The Guangdong Land Holdings Limited (www.gdland.com.hk)
The Guangdong Land Holdings Limited (GDLAND), with its headquarters in Hong Kong, is listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, and is a subsidiary of GDH Limited, which is Guangdong Province's largest conglomerate operating outside Mainland China.
The principal business of GDLAND is property development and investment, including but not limited to the development and operational management of the innovative commercial real estate, urban complex and industrial business complex. As the strategic arm of GDH Limited, GDLAND engages in the business development of commercial real estate, as well as urban and industrial complex projects.
GDLAND's flagship project, namely the "Buxin Project," is planned to become the biggest and most advanced jewellery mart in the world, including a large-scale jewellery trading and exhibition centre along with other facilities, with a lot size of over 87,000 square metres and a construction scale (floor area) that is projected to exceed 700,000 square metres. The Buxin Project, which is located in the Buxin area of Luohu district in Central Shenzhen, close to the Shuibei Gold and Jewellery Base, is expected to develop the area into one of the most influential gold and jewellery trading and exchange platforms in China and around the world.
3. About UBM Asia (www.ubmasia.com)
UBM Asia recently became part of Informa PLC, a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B Events organiser in the world. Please visit www.ubm.com/asia for more information about our presence in Asia.
4. About Responsible Jewellery Council (https://www.responsiblejewellery.com/)
The Responsible Jewellery Council is an international not-for-profit standards and certification organisation. It has more than 1,100 member companies that span the jewellery supply chain from mine to retail. RJC Members commit to and are independently audited against the RJC Code of Practices -- an international standard on responsible business practices for diamonds, gold and platinum group metals. The Code of Practices addresses human rights, labour rights, environmental impact, mining practices, product disclosure and many more important topics in the jewellery supply chain. RJC also works with multi-stakeholder initiatives on responsible sourcing and supply chain due diligence. The RJC's Chain-of-Custody Certification for precious metals supports these initiatives and can be used as a tool to deliver broader Member and stakeholder benefit.
The RJC is a Full Member of the ISEAL Alliance -- the global association for sustainability standards. For more information on RJC Members, Certification, and Standards please visit www.responsiblejewellery.com
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