David Kelly is the CEO of the Natural Diamond Council (NDC), the organization responsible for driving consumer interest in natural diamonds.

Nearly four years since the rebranding of the NDC in 2020, the organization is embarking on a new campaign: ‘Real, Rare, Responsible,’ highlighting the values it argues are inherent in natural diamonds.

In his role, David has developed a unique perspective of how the industry operates in different markets and cultures, how to approach category marketing in today's brand-centric environment, and the interaction between lab-grown and natural diamonds.

Learn more about the NDC at www.naturaldiamonds.com and via the handle @onlynaturaldiamonds on Instagram and Tik Tok.

Thabo Manne is the manager for social compliance at the Cullinan mine in South Africa. Petra Diamonds, which owns the operations, has embarked on a strategy to put sustainability front and center of its decision making, governed by its four pillars - people, planet, partners, and production.

Tasked to engage with the communities affected by Cullinan, Thabo sits at the core of that strategy, offering insight to how corporates, and the broader diamond industry, has changed focus to drive upliftment.

Find out more about Petra's sustainability program here: https://www.petradiamonds.com/sustainability/

Lyndon de Meillon is a diamond entrepreneur and geologist with interests in alluvial mining projects along South Africa’s Middle Orange River as well as Pioneer Diamond Tender House. He also serves as vice chairperson of the South African Diamond Producers Organisation (SADPO).

Lyndon is deeply invested in the success of South Africa’s small-scale mining sector, which faces some unique challenges spanning the heavy regulatory environment, social issues in the country, the geological makeup of the Orange River and the global economy. He believes South Africa’s alluvial sector has 100 years of life left in it, and also that the country has at least one other major kimberlite mine waiting to be found. But much depends on how the industry and the country tackles those lingering challenges.

You can find Lyndon on:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lyndon-de-meillon-98187299/

Websites: www.pioneerdiamondtenderhouse.com and www.sadpo.co.za

The co-founders of OC Gems, a startup manufacturing company based in Kimberley, South Africa, tell the story of their journey into the diamond industry, and discuss entrepreneurship, beneficiation and the crucial role that social media is playing as they step into the next phase of their business's development.

You can find them on Instagram and Tik Tok as OC Gems, and via their website www.ocgems.co.za