India's Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) has announced changes in leadership following the organization's biennual elections at the end of September.
Vipul Shah, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Asian Star Co., has been elected to serve as GJEPC Chairman for the forthcoming 2012-2014 term. Among his industry experience, he has previously served as Convener of the GJEPC's Banking, Insurance and Taxation committee and has been a member of the Committee of Administration for the past two years.
Elected as GJEPC Vice-Chairman is Pankaj Parekh, who, in 1997, was the first person to be elected from eastern India in the GJECP's Central Managing Committee, set up by the Ministry of Commerce. Since then, within the GJEPC, Parekh has held several posts in Central and Regional Committees and is now the Regional Chairman of the Eastern region.
Elected to serve as members of the GJEPC's Diamond Panel Committee for the next two years are Saunak J Parikh of Mahendra Brothers Exports Pvt. Ltd. Mumbai, and Nirav J Bhansali of Prism Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, who will succeed the committee's newly retired members Bakul Mehta, Vasant Mehta and Kanubhai D Shah.
Additionally, Ajesh N Mehta from Navinchandra Exports Pvt Ltd. has been elected to the GJEPC's Diamond Reserved category, and Colin P. Shah of Kama Schachter Jewellery Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, has been elected to the Gold Jewellery Panel for the 2012-2014 term, replacing the newly retired Vijay Kapoor.
Commenting on the outcome of the elections, outgoing GJEPC Chairman Rajiv Jain said, "It is a pleasure to see the selection of four budding young people onto the panel governing the functioning of the GJEPC Committee. It is a good sign for the future of the council and the industry."
While Jain is no longer the GJPEC Chairman, he remains in the position of Regional Chairman for the Jaipur Region. Other GJEPC Regional Chairmen are: Anil Sankhwal for New Delhi, Princeson Jose for the South, Pankaj Parekh for the East, and Chandrakant Sanghavi for Gujarat.
