Dvash is New Chairman of Okavango Diamond Company

(IDEX Online) - Yoram Dvash, former president of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB), has been appointed chairman of the board of Botswana's state-owned rough-diamond marketing company, Okavango Diamond Company (ODC).

He succeeds Gape Kaboyakgosi, who left the company in November after five years as chairman. ODC said the appointment is intended to support the company's profitability, international reach and long-term value for Botswana.

Dvash founded Dvash Diamonds in 1991 and has worked in diamond manufacturing and trading across major international markets.

He served as president of the Israel Diamond Exchange from 2015 to 2021 and later chaired the Israel Diamond Institute.

He led the WFDB from 2020 until stepping down in June. During his tenure, the federation adopted GET-Diamonds, a digital trading platform developed for the diamond industry, as its official online marketplace.

Dvash said he was "honored to take on this responsibility" and grateful for the trust placed in him.

"I look forward to working with the board, management and the government of Botswana to help take ODC to greater heights," he said in a LinkedIn post.

ODC also appointed Michael Moagi Mogopa, Lesego Molapisi-Conrad, Lesley Bradley and Pius Komane Molefe as independent non-executive directors. Lalepela Makepe, the company's acting managing director, was also named to the board.

ODC is wholly owned by the Botswana government and markets rough diamonds produced in the country. The company has access to 30% of Debswana's run-of-mine production and sells rough diamonds through an online bidding system.