Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) CEO Freddy J. Hanard is retiring effective December 31, 2010, at the end of four years as head of the organization.

During his time as AWDC CEO, Hanard was active in expanding the Antwerp diamond trade to the emerging diamond markets in the Far Eat and strengthening relationships with major diamond producers.

Hanard was quoted as saying his goal was to make diamonds in Russia and China "synonymous with Anterp."

Hanard has also come in for praise for his leadership of the organization after the financial global crisis hit the diamond industry. Within weeks of the onset of the crisis, the AWDC organized the 2008 Antwerp Diamond Symposium to analyze the financial crisis in light of the international diamond trade and come up with strategies to weather the difficult period.

AWDC President Nishit Parikh said that Hanard had left an "indelible mark" on the AWDC and that Antwerp's diamond community was "the better" for his leadership. Current AWDC Deputy CEO Ari Epstein has been appointed to succeed Hanard.