International Diamond Laboratories of Dubai has appointed senior officers with a strong background at gemological laboratories in key positions of its grading operations. By recruiting Michel Schuermans, Pierre Grabowski and Filip De Weerdt, IDL says it is acquiring “outstanding credits in gemology, operational management, and scientific research.”

Michel Schuermans, a native of Belgium, will be overseeing the grading operations as chief laboratory manager. For 25 years, Schuermans served as chief gemologist at the Antwerp World Diamond Center (HRD). In 2004, he was a production quality manager for different international diamond manufacturing companies at cutting factories in Antwerp and Bangkok.

Pierre Grabowski, a native of Canada, becomes chief logistics officer. Grabowski headed the security department of a top ranking bank before joining HRD, where he served as manager of HRD’s Certificates Department for six years. In 2000, Grabowski returned to security services work for the diamond sector.

Filip De Weerdt, a South Korean native, is heading the Research department. He received a PhD in Physics at the King’s College London for his research work on diamond color treatments. He was a member of the Gemological Institute of America’s Gemological Research Conference scientific advisory committee and has published numerous articles in peer-review scientific reviews. He is a lector at scientific conferences around the world and has been working closely with De Beers’ research division in Maidenhead, U.K. He was responsible for the research department of the HRD laboratory from 2000 to 2006.

“International Diamond Laboratories calls upon some of the most experienced people in the industry to lead its lab operations. We are very happy this knowledge returns to positions where it will serve the industry as a whole,” said Peter Meeus, IDL chief executive officer.

Headquartered in Dubai, IDL will creating branches in Antwerp and Mumbai and will start issuing certificates in September 2007.

JCK