Hong Kong: Anoop Mehta of the Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB) and Ahmed Bin Sulayem of the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) – exceptional and inspiring leaders who are making an incredible impact in the gemstone and jewellery industry – led this year’s crop of 20 JNA Awards recipients. The awardees were feted in a spectacular ceremony and gala dinner that drew more than 600 industry stakeholders at the Inter Continental Hong Kong on September 16.

Organized by JNA, the awards gala dinner was the culmination of a year-long effort to recognize individuals and companies that are raising the bar for quality, innovation and excellence in the jewellery industry. The event was held on the sidelines of the world’s No. 1 fine jewellery B2B show, the September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair.

Mehta, president of the BDB, was the recipient of JNA’s Lifetime Achievement Award – one of the highest accolades in the global jewellery and gemstone industry and the most esteemed tribute conferred by the JNA Awards. Mehta was honoured for his work at the BDB, which ensures that the diamond trade between India and the rest of the world is fair, efficient and robust.

Bin Sulayem, executive chairman of DMCC, was conferred the Outstanding Contribution of the Year Award for his accomplishments that have had an extraordinarily positive and enduring impact, not only on DMCC and Dubai, but on the global gemstone and jewellery industry. Under Bin Sulayem’s strong leadership, Dubai has become one of the leading diamond trading centres in the world, serving a pivotal role as the “New Silk Road.”

Other recipients of the 2014 JNA Awards are:

• Brand of the Year – Retail: Paspaley
• Employer of the Year: Pandora Production Co Ltd
• Retailer of the Year: Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Ltd
• E-tailer of the Year: Shanghai Wisdom Jewelry Trading Co Ltd (Zbird)
• Industry Innovation of the Year – Manufacturing – Business: Frank Wu Design
• Industry Innovation of the Year – Manufacturing – Technology: China Stone Co Ltd; Fukui Shell Nucleus Factory; Diamond Services Ltd and Shenzhen United BlueOcean Technology Development Co Ltd
• Manufacturer of the Year – Diamond Cutting & Polishing: Kiran Gems Pvt Ltd
• Manufacturer of the Year – Gem-Set Jewellery: Shenzhen Xingguangda Jewelry Industry Co Ltd
• Manufacturer of the Year – Precious Metals-Only Jewellery: Shenzhen Bofook Jewellery Co Ltd
• Sustainability Initiative of the Year: Shree Ramkrishna Exports Pvt Ltd
• Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Age 40 or below): Shreyansh Kapoor and Zheng Huanjian
• Outstanding Enterprise of the Year – ASEAN Countries: Jewelmer Joaillerie
• Outstanding Enterprise of the Year – India: Hari Krishna Exports Pvt Ltd
• Outstanding Enterprise of the Year – Mainland China: Shenzhen Ganlu Jewellery Co Ltd

In addition to the Headline Partners, Diarough Group, Gubelin Group, KARP Group, Paspaley Pearling Company, Shanghai Diamond Exchange, the Israel Diamond Institute and Guangdong Land Holdings Ltd supported the JNA Awards 2014 as Honoured Partners.