Programme

During its chairship of BRICS in 2024, Russia is focused on building a constructive dialogue with all interested countries. This includes creating an independent agenda for open and fair cooperation in the global diamond industry, which is currently undergoing major structural changes. The global diamond market is going through a stage of inevitable fragmentation due to excessive industry regulation with new trade barriers that bypass the universal Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS). In order to maintain stability on the global diamond market, Russia, along with the countries of Africa and Latin America, which account for roughly 90% of the world’s diamond output, need to protect the common interests of the diamond mining industry and the free trade system for diamond products based on the principles of the KPCS. How can we ensure that BRICS markets remain free and open to diamond trade, taking into account the interests of both diamond-producing countries and the leading centres of diamond trade and jewellery product consumption?

Moderator
Petr Karakchiev, Expert, Russia-Angola Business Council

Panellists
Kirit Bhansali, Vice Chairman, Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC)
Pavel Marinychev, Сhief Executive Officer – Chairman of the Executive Committee, ALROSA
Julius Mattai, Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Sierra Leone
Anoop Mehta, President, Bharat Diamond Bourse
Nosiphiwo Mzamo, Chief Executive Officer, State Diamond Trader (Republic of South Africa)
Alexei Moiseev, Deputy Finance Minister of the Russian Federation
Ellah Muchemwa, Executive Director, African Diamond Producers Association (ADPA)
Aisen Nikolaev, Head of Sakha Republic (Yakutia)
Winston Chitando, Minister of Mines and Mining Development of the Republic of Zimbabwe

Kirit Bhansali

Vice Chairman, Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC)

Pavel Marinychev

Сhief Executive Officer – Chairman of the Executive Committee, ALROSA

Julius Mattai

Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Sierra Leone

Nosiphiwo Mzamo

Chief Executive Officer, State Diamond Trader (Republic of South Africa)

Alexei Moiseev

Deputy Finance Minister of the Russian Federation

Professional Experience

February 1995 – September 1996 – economist of the 1st category, leading economist of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation
July 1998 – July 2001 – economist and senior sovereign analyst of the Fixed Income Department, DNP Paribas, London, UK
July 2001 – September 2010 – leading economist, Deputy Head of the Research Department of ‘Renaissance Capital–Financial Consultant’
September 2010 – July 2012 – Deputy Head of Research Department, Head of Macroeconomic Research Department of ZAO VTB Capital
18 July 2012 – present – Deputy Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation
1996 – distinguished by the Governor of the Bank of Russia
Awarded the Honorary Diploma of the Government of the Russian Federation

Education

Ordzhonikidze State Academy of Management, major in international economics (1990–1995)
University of Rochester, USA, MBA (1996–1998)

Aisen Nikolaev

Head of Sakha Republic (Yakutia)

Born on January 22, 1972 in Leningrad
1994 - graduated from the physics department of Lomonosov Moscow State University
Started his career in finance corporation «SAPI»
1995 – Deputy Chairman of the Board of «Almazergienbank»
1998 – The Chairman of «Almazergienbank»
2004 – Minister of Finance of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia)
2007 – Chief of the Presidential and Government Administration of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia)
2011 – First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia)
2012 - 2017 – Mayor of the city of Yakutsk
May 2018 – appointed as acting Head of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia)
The Head of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) since September 2018
He was elected to the State Assembly (Il Tumen) of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia).
Granted title of honor «Honored Worker of National Economy of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia)». Decorated with diplomas of the Federation Council, The State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

Winston Chitando

Minister of Mines and Mining Development of the Republic of Zimbabwe