Leading diamond and gemstone security and traceability specialist, Opsydia, has announced the appointment of Jacqui Larsson to the position of Sales and Marketing Director, effective immediately.
As a London Diamond Bourse Council Member and a Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A), Larsson brings to Opsydia nearly two decades of experience in the diamond, gemstone and jewellery industries. Most recently, she has specialised in bespoke jewellery production, sustainable sourcing and traceable supply chains through her eponymous company, Jacqui Larsson Fine Jewellery.
Prior to joining the trade, Larsson qualified as a chartered accountant and worked in Australia, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom for an international professional services firm before moving into banking and finance. This provided a solid commercial grounding and developed her sales and client management skills, an inherent appreciation of controls and risk assessment, and familiarisation with financial reporting.
During a career break, Larsson passed the Gem-A Gemmology Diploma and Diamond Diploma and secured an internship at the Diamond Trading Company (DTC), part of De Beers Group, to study the diamond pipeline, sort rough and polished goods and review the rough to polished strategy. She later founded a fine jewellery business, Carob & Co, operating in both London and Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
In the interim, she has been directly involved in the strategy and future direction of the London Diamond Bourse, both as a member and as a Council Member on its esteemed Council of Management.
On her appointment, Larsson comments: “I am acutely aware of the ethical and accountability issues within the sector and the challenges of incorporating robust traceability products within the complex diamond and coloured gemstone supply chains. I am thrilled to be joining Opsydia to promote its revolutionary technology.
The tamper proof sub-surface inscriptions complete the traceability journey of precious gems, physically linking the stone with its blockchain journey thereby meeting the expectations of both market participants and consumers.”
Opsydia CEO Andrew Rimmer adds: “Jacqui is a fantastic addition to the Opsydia team. Her professional experience in the diamond and coloured gemstone industries, coupled with her connections to world-leading institutions, make her a valuable asset to our company as we continue to develop internationally. With many important events on the horizon, now is an excellent time to welcome Jacqui onboard for what looks set to be a busy and important year.”
Opsydia is recognised globally for its leading technology that places unique identifiers on and beneath the surface of gemstones to secure their identity. By creating a direct physical link between a gemstone and its blockchain record or grading report, Opsydia completes the traceable journey of a diamond or coloured gemstone from mine to market, thus bolstering transparency initiatives and reinforcing supply chain provenance.
Its three Systems – the D4000, D5000 and D6000 – are capable of processing 50,000 to 100,000 stones per year in an industrial environment and can, therefore, provide a practical solution to diamond identification concerns.
Looking ahead, Larsson will prioritise relationships with clients in the luxury and manufacturing sectors to address their specific needs.
She will draw upon her auditing background, combined with her diamond knowledge and sales skills, to assess complex supply chains and consider how Opsydia’s diamond traceability technology can maximise a client’s transparency, accountability and provenance objectives.
Larsson will attend the upcoming JCK Las Vegas exhibition with Opsydia from May 31 to June 3, 2024. Visitors will find the business at Stand: 54079.
Heera Zhaveraat (HZ International) A Diamond, Watch and Jewellery Trade Promotion Magazine provide dealers and manufactures with the key analytical information they need to succeed in the luxury industry. Pricing, availability and market information in the Magazine provides a critical edge.
