(PRESS RELEASE) ANTWERP, BELGIUM – World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) mourns the passing away of Sergey Oulin on December 31, 2019 at the age of 69 years. President Ernie Blom has, on behalf of the entire organisation, expressed sadness at the loss of a colleague and friend.
Oulin was the president of the Diamond Chamber of Russia and former member of the WFDB executive committee (ExCo).
Paying glowing tributes Blom said: “Sergey Oulin was a long-standing colleague at the WFDB and a member of its Executive Committee. He contributed immensely to the growth of the international diamond industry through the years he was associated with the industry, particularly in his role as the Vice Chairman of the World Diamond Council (WDC) during the early days of the Kimberley Process.”
Mr. Oulin was closely associated with the diamond industry in Russia for nearly two decades, holding many different positions of responsibility in industry bodies both within the country and internationally.
“Sergey played a key role in developing the system of checks and balances that ensured that conflict diamonds did not enter the diamond pipeline, and was closely associated with the establishment of the KP mechanism within his country,” Blom added.
The WFDB President noted that Mr. Oulin was also one of the early advocates of an apex industry body that brought together stakeholders from across the pipeline on a common platform to discuss and act together on common industry issues.
Born in Moscow in 1950, Mr. Oulin graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) and Diplomatic Academy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and after serving as the deputy chairman of the USSR Youth Organizations Committee, specializing in world economics and international relations, became associated with the diamond industry in 1990.
From 1990-92, he served as deputy chief of the State Repository for Precious Metals and Gems (Gokhran of Russia) when his association with the diamond industry first began. He was appointed Vice President of ALROSA in 1995, and remained with that organisation until 2010. Mr. Oulin was also President of the Diamond Chamber of Russia (Russian Diamond Bourse) since it was established in 1996, and a member of the Board of the Russian Jewelry Manufacturers’ Guild.
An analyst and thinker, Mr. Oulin has published a number of works on the economics of the diamond industry and conflict diamonds in reputed Russian and foreign publications.
Blom said: “His association with the diamond industry ended in 2014, but he always remained a close friend.”