HRD Antwerp

An international diamond-certification laboratory required a full overhaul of its commercial and operational organization. Stakeholder confidence was eroded, the operating model was misaligned with where the market had moved, and China — the fastest-growing diamond market in the world — remained largely closed to the HRD brand.

Pascal Delvenne designed and executed a three-year strategic plan — Restore. Build. Expand. Rebuilt a customer-centric organization, reduced the cost base, and realigned sales and marketing to market demand. To open China, engineered a diamond-traceability solution: a QR code micro-engraved on the diamond's girdle, adapting ultra-fine laser technology previously confined to Swiss watchmaking. Partnered with Chinese authorities looking to curb the inflow of smuggled diamonds — turning the technology into a regulatory-backed entry point for HRD certification in a market where the brand had no foothold.