Diamond financing key theme at Dubai Diamond Conference Inaugural conference to take place 18-19 March at Almas Tower

Dubai, United Arab Emirates — March 7, 2013:Diamond financing will take centre stage at the Dubai Diamond Conference 2013 (DDC 2013), the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) confirmed today.

Set to be the most significant diamond event of the year, the conference will take place from 18-19 March at Almas Tower in Jumeirah Lakes Towers; home to the Dubai Diamond Exchange, one of the world’s leading diamond trading platforms.

Peter Meeus, Chairman, Dubai Diamond Exchange, said:

“In 2011, the Dubai diamond trade recorded an annual turnover of over US $39 billion. One of the most crucial contributing factors to this growth was the support demonstrated by international financial institutions, many of which are based outside the UAE. The global Dubai Diamond Conference will certainly attract more UAE-based banks into financing a business that has become a significant element of Dubai’s foreign trade”.

The second day of DDC 2013 will bring together an international panel of bankers to debate the topic ‘Banking in the times of the New Silk Route’. Industry analyst Chaim Even Zohar will moderate the discussion between some of the world’s leading diamond bankers, including: Dirk Dullaert, Senior Vice President, Head of International Relations, Antwerp Diamond Bank; Erik Jens, CEO, ABN Amro Diamond and Jewellery division; and Kishore Lall, Managing Director, Global Head, Diamond and Jewellery/Wholesale Banking – Origination and Client Coverage of Standard Chartered Bank.

Chaim Even-Zohar, President, Tacy Ltd, added:

“The diamond industry weathered the storm of the global financial crisis without serious debt defaults and diamond prices are now reaching historical heights. This is a testimony to the financial acumen, resiliency and soundness of the business. However, although the fundamentals of the industry look stronger than ever, unexpected scarcity of liquidity may hamper its growth.

In light of this, the Dubai Diamond Conference will enable bankers and pipeline players to explore how to jointly manage the diamond industry’s evolving economic and regulatory environment to secure its continued growth and prosperity.”

Notes:

The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) is a strategic initiative of the Government of Dubai, was established in 2002, with a mandate to provide the physical, market and financial infrastructure required to set up a commodities market place in Dubai. The Centre attracts key players throughout the entire value chain of a wide range of commodities sectors, together with relevant support industries such as finance, logistics and insurance. DMCC has established a robust infrastructure, including free zone status, trade networking platforms, secure vaults and purpose-built storage facilities. Resident companies of DMCC are offered highly attractive benefits under a free zone status, including 50-year guaranteed 0% corporate and personal income tax, 100 per cent business ownership, full ownership of business premises, and a secure regulated environment. DMCC has also implemented a dedicated compliance policy in the organisation, which is in line with the compliance related laws and regulations of the UAE Federal Government and the competent international bodies. DMCC owns three fully operational towers which host the majority of the physical, market and financial infrastructure including the Jewellery & Gemplex facility, the specialized diamond and pearl exchanges and gold vaults.