The International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA) has named Australia-based opal specialist Damien Cody as its new president. He replaces Clement Sabbagh of Ben Sabbagh Bros who had led the association since 2017.

ICA made the announcement at its 2023 Congress in Dubai, which concluded on February 17. 

Cody, director of Cody Opal (Australia) Pty Ltd, will lead the 2023 board of directors comprising coloured gemstone industry stakeholders from around the globe.

The new directors are Oren Eliezri of Colgem El 97 Ltd (Israel); Claudia Hamann of Claudia Hamann Edelstein GmbH (Germany); Kengo Kajita of Kajita Co Ltd (Japan); Vijay Kedia of Kedia Gem Impex (India); Benedicte Lavoie of Pierres De Charme (Canada); Lucas Senrong Lu (China); Armil Sammoon of Sapphire Cutters Ltd (Sri Lanka); Samir Sukhadia of Swadi Stit Co Ltd (Thailand); and Ashish Vijay of Tiara Gems and Jewellery dmcc (UAE).

They join existing board members Ioannis Alexandris of Gemolithos Group GmbH (Germany), Daniel Bronfen of PB Gems Ltda (Brazil), Evan Caplan of Evan Caplan Company (US), Guillermo Galvis of ACODES (Colombia), Shahina Hatta of Bespoke Fine Jewelry Ltd (Hong Kong), Miriam Mimo Kamau of Mimo Gem Traders (Kenya), Dwarka Prasad Khandelwal of Aditi Impex (India), Pearl Ng of Pearly (UK), and Mark Tremonti of Tremac Pty Ltd (Australia). 

ICA directors serve a two-year first term. 

The new officers of the ICA board under Cody’s leadership are Vice President Phuket Khunaprapakorn (Thailand); Vice President Rocco Gay (Italy); Secretary Altaf Iqbal (Sri Lanka); Secretary Duncan Mclauchlan (United Kingdom); and Treasurer Sushil Goyal (US).

Sabbagh is immediate past president of ICA, while Chang Hatta of Hatta New World Co Ltd now serves as special advisor, Taiwan. Also taking on the role of advisor are Captain Ramji of Anjali Jewels Co Ltd (Japan), Henry Ho of Tiang Chirathiwat Co Ltd (JTC) (Thailand) and Saurabh Bansal of C Bansal OHG (Germany).