Barbara Wheat, currently executive vice president of the Natural Color Diamond Association (NCDIA) in New York, has been appointed president of the Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences (AIGS) in Thailand. She will assume her new responsibilities shortly.

AIGS, which was established in 1978 by the Ho Group, is a gemmological training institute accredited with the Education Ministry of Thailand. It will be celebrating its 40th anniversary next year.

Wheat is a graduate from the AIGS Accredited Gemologist program in 2003 and has a Master’s Degree in Sustainability Management from Columbia University in New York.

Prior to joining NCDIA, Wheat had worked as Managing Directo of JewelSiam, a Ho Group affiliated company; as a consultant to the gem and jewellery industry, including Thai Gem & Jewelry Traders Assciation; and as Executive Director, International Colored Gemstone Association.

Pic courtesy: AIGS