Gemfields CEO Sean Gilbertson’s pioneering and innovative spirit has led to major milestones in the business of coloured gemstones, specifically in Africa where the miner operates. 

He considers the establishment of a consistent, transparent and responsible source of emeralds and rubies from Africa among his top achievements as this is paving the way for sustained demand for these gemstones.

Gilbertson is also proud of Gemfields’ groundbreaking auction system that allows gemstone-hosting nations to sell their goods on the wider global market at the maximum available price, and then see 100 per cent of the international value repatriated directly to miners in the host country. 

“This means there is no offshore profiteering and that full taxes are paid in the country of origin,” he explained. “Host governments can monitor auction developments and bidding results at the same time as Gemfields.”
Another feather in his cap is the introduction of G-Factor for Natural Resources, which reveals what percentage of a mine’s revenue was paid to a host country as corporate tax, mineral royalty or dividends. 

For instance, since Gemfields acquired the Kagem emerald mine in 2008, 18 per cent of revenues were remunerated to Zambia while 23 per cent of the Montepuez ruby mine’s sales were given to Mozambique since 2011 when Gemfields bought 75 per cent of the mine.

Gilbertson also takes pride in Gemfields’ education and healthcare projects in Mozambique and Zambia. “Words cannot describe the impact of seeing a child in a remote area using the Internet for the first time or of a mother being able to access medical care courtesy of a mobile clinic,” he noted.

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