Press Releases

WFDB Names CEO of Get Diamonds Platform

Kim Pelletier was most recently president of IGC Jewelry & Diamonds.

Published

3 years ago

September 2, 2020

INSTORE Staff

Kim E. Pelletier

(PRESS RELEASE) ANTWERP — The World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) announced that it has recruited industry veteran Kim E. Pelletier to serve as CEO of the newly formed Get Diamonds B2B diamond trading platform. Get Diamonds, which is owned by the WFDB, is the only non-profit entity diamond trading platform whose slogan is “By the industry, for the industry.”

Get Diamonds is operated by Lucy Platforms, an Israel-based hi-tech company that uses state-of-the-art technologies including artificial intelligence (AI) to create a most advanced diamond trading platform.

Since launching in March, Get Diamonds has become the largest diamond trading platform in the world, with 1.3 million stones listed. Its 5.8 billion dollar total value of listings demonstrates the desire of the industry for an alternative trading platform that brings added value to industry members.

Yoram Dvash, acting president of the WFDB, said, “We sought a strong leader from within the industry for Get Diamonds, in order for this extraordinary enterprise to reach its full potential. Kim Pelletier is—we believe—the most qualified person to take on this position. As former Sales & Marketing VP for Polygon, Kim not only has the experience involved in managing and growing B2B diamond platforms, she’s done so successfully in a challenging marketplace.”

Pelletier was most recently president of IGC Jewelry & Diamonds, has served as vice-president at Hearts On Fire, Memoire, and John Hardy, and was a field director for De Beers’ Diamond Promotion Service.

“I am both thrilled, and humbled, to be offered this exciting new challenge,” said Pelletier. “A B2B diamond trading platform created by and for the members it serves is clearly an idea whose time has come. Finding new ways to deliver strong business value to diamond companies and retail jewelers at Polygon was one of the most fulfilling challenges I’ve ever had. This will reprise that role, but now with a truly global reach, and with the full backing of the WFDB itself.”

When There’s No Succession Plan, Call Wilkerson

Bob Wesley, owner of Robert C. Wesley Jewelers in Scottsdale, Ariz., was a third-generation jeweler. When it was time to enjoy life on the other side of the counter, he weighed his options. His lease was nearing renewal time and with no succession plan, he decided it was time to call Wilkerson. There was plenty of inventory to sell and at first, says Wesley, he thought he might try to manage a sale himself. But he’s glad he didn’t. “There’s no way I could have done this as well as Wilkerson,” he says. Wilkerson took responsibility for the entire event, with every detail — from advertising to accounting — done, dusted and managed by the Wilkerson team. “It’s the complete package,” he says of the Wilkerson method of helping jewelers to easily go on to the next phase of their lives. “There’s no way any retailer can duplicate what they’ve done.”