The former vice minister of finance aims to increase membership for the diamond bourse

The board of directors of the Panama Diamond Exchange (PDE), Latin America’s only diamond bourse, has elected Mahesh Khemlani president.

Khemlani is currently chief investment officer at Grupo VerdeAzul, a private investment firm in Panama. He was previously the vice minister of finance of the Republic of Panama.

“We are truly fortunate to have an individual of the caliber of Mahesh, with his wealth of experience, knowledge, insight, ability, and acumen, leading the Panama Diamond Exchange to the next level and beyond,” said PDE founding chairman Eli Izhakoff.

“Our objective is to create a world-class organization that will power the development of the gemstone and jewelry business in our region and simultaneously expand the commercial relationship between Latin American and the world,” said Khemlani. “At this stage, our focus will be on increasing membership and attracting regional buyers. I firmly believe that we have the facilities, professional personnel, and strategic vision to make that all happen.”

The board also named Ali Pastorini PDE senior vice president. He is the director of marketing of the World Jewelry Hub, the duty-free zone that is home to the PDE.

JCK