Lawrence Ma and Kent Wong, long-standing pillars of the global jewellery industry, are the Recipients of JNA Awards 2020’s highest accolade – the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Recognised for helping shape and transform not only Hong Kong’s jewellery industry but the global jewellery community, Ma and Wong dedicated their careers to creating a more vibrant, sustainable and forward-thinking jewellery sector. 

Their bold ambitions and vision went beyond profit-making as they endeavoured to affect positive change within their organisations and the communities they serve through leadership and action.

The JNA Awards’ spotlight will shine on Ma, CEO of Lee Heng Diamond Group, and Wong, managing director of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, during a virtual awards ceremony to be broadcast live at 8pm (Hong Kong time) on October 27 – the first day of the maiden Jewellery & Gem Digital World.

“Lawrence and Kent are legendary figures who have thrived through the many ups and downs of the jewellery industry in the last four decades,” said Letitia Chow, chairperson and founder of JNA Awards at Informa Markets - Jewellery. “They have achieved commercial success for their respective organisations while heir tremendous contributions to the growth and prosperity of Hong Kong’s jewellery industry have had a massive impact and influence on jewellery hubs around the world. It is a great honour and privilege to celebrate their lifetime achievements by conferring them the highest accolade of the JNA Awards.” 

Illustrious careers

Ma started his stint in the jewellery industry four decades ago. In the early 1990s, he founded MaBelle Jewelry, a diamond jewellery brand with a broader market reach, comprising largely of aspirational consumers. This initiative helped revolutionise Hong Kong’s diamond jewellery retail industry.

A founding president and current chairman of the Diamond Federation of Hong Kong (DFHK), he was instrumental in promoting and implementing ground-breaking initiatives that fortified Hong Kong’s unique position as a global trading centre. 

Wong for his part has devoted himself to the industry for over four decades. He joined Chow Tai Fook in 1977 as an apprentice and was subsequently promoted to managing director in 2011. As key advocator, he drives the company’s evolution into an exciting, innovative, diversified and trend-setting group. 

Under his leadership, Chow Tai Fook became the first Hong Kong-based jewellery group to open a store in mainland China in 1998. The group and further expanded its global presence, signalling the business’ transformation from a home-grown brand to a modern and progressive enterprise with over 4,000 points of sale around the world.