The Board of Governors of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) welcomed François Delage as its newest member on 25th January 2024. Delage brings a wealth of experience in global luxury, fashion and jewellery retail garnered over a more than three-decade international career.

“To keep advancing our consumer protection mission, GIA works to understand what gem and jewellery consumers in global markets want and what they need to have confidence in their purchases,” said Lisa Locklear, Chair of the GIA Board of Governors. “With his broad international experience and deep understanding of luxury and jewellery markets and consumers, François Delage is an outstanding addition to the Board.”

Delage has more than 35 years of global experience in the luxury sector as a CEO and operational leader with a strong customer and marketing focus, primarily in luxury, fashion and jewellery retailing with De Beers Jewellers, Forevermark and Louis Vuitton.

“I am pleased and honoured to join the GIA Board of Governors, and I look forward to working with the other Governors and GIA management to advance the institute’s important mission and help secure its continued success well into the future,” said Delage.

“On behalf of our global team, I welcome François Delage to the GIA Board of Governors,” said Susan Jacques, GIA president and CEO. “We rely on our Governors for their insight, wisdom and strategic guidance as we work every day to protect consumers and support the industry.”

Delage was recently the CEO of high-end real estate business Barnes International. He was previously CEO of Adorisa Group, a fine jewellery business. Before that, he was CEO of De Beers’ Forevermark diamond brand and, from 2009 until 2020, CEO of De Beers Jewellers, based in London.

He began his career at Louis Vuitton in the finance division and was named finance director for EMEA in 1995. In 1999, he became general manager for LVMH fashion brands based in Guam and, in 2001, president of Louis Vuitton Asia Pacific, based in Hong Kong. Delage holds a business degree in Management and Finance from the European Business School.