Mahiar Borhanjoo (pictured), the former executive director of sales and sightholder services of De Beers’ Diamond Trading Co., has joined the DFL Group as its chief executive officer.

Before moving to the DFL Group, Borhanjoo had served as managing director of Venus Jewel International, the Indian sightholder and diamond manufacturer. He joined the company in 2015. Prior to that, he spent seven years directing sales at the Diamond Trading Co., the rough distribution arm of the De Beers Group of Companies. He left De Beers in 2013 after overseeing the migration of the company’s rough distribution apparatus from London to Gaborone, the capital of Botswana.

Prior to joining the diamond business, he worked at eTelecare Global Solutions, where he was global senior vice president for financial services and customer care. He has also served as a project manager for Dell.

DFL Group is a B2B company that says it is “building an international ecosystem” for the diamond industry. Its flagship online trading platform, Uni Diamonds, premiered in October 2018. The company says it plans to offer know-how and technical support to diamond manufacturers, provide them with a new source of sorely needed financing, and offer the industry gemological, logistic, and market-intelligence support.

In a statement, Borhanjoo said that DFL and Uni Diamonds “will transform the diamond business, drawing from the collective strength, skill, and talent of companies from around the world. DFL and Uni Diamonds are not only committed to a more efficient, more economic, and more reactive diamond value chain, but also one that is ethical, transparent, and traceable.”

Gil Melamed, a cofounder and board member of the DFL Group, said Borhanjoo “has led companies through transformative and progressive change, balancing the age-old legacy of diamonds with cutting-edge technology. His knowledge of the industry and experienced leadership will help drive DFL forward, transforming this business.”

(Image courtesy of DLF Group)

Rob Bates

JCK News Director