Jewellers Association of Australia

JAA Board of Directors
Peter Beever JAA Chairman; Nominated by VIC/TAS Branch Current Occupation: Owner, Ringwood Jewellers Peter started in the jewellery trade working for the Australian Gold Buying Company (AGB) as messenger boy when just 16, dropping off and picking up repairs from the warehouses. “It was a great way to learn the trade” he states. Peter was eventually promoted to the position of watch manager, and during this time he met Pam, his future wife whose father Ted Hughes also worked at AGB. Both Pam’s parents and grandparents had a watchmaking and jewellery store for 39 years in East Malvern. After 11 years at AGB, Peter was asked to join Precision Watches, which later became known as The Swatch Group. There, he started as a sales representative selling Hirsch Watch Bands. After five years, Peter was promoted to sales manager for Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia then, after three years, he was promoted to national sales manager visiting Hirsch Austria as the Australian manager on many occasions. In 1998, Hirsch combined with Speidel and appointed Peter as managing director of Hirsch Speidel. After re-establishing Speidel back in Australia, Peter moved on to work for Oro Australia. “This was an amazing experience, as I was now selling some of the most exquisite pieces of diamond jewellery in the world,” he says. He and Pam launched Ringwood Jewellers in August 2001, joined Nationwide Jewellers, and grew quickly. In 2004, Peter and Pam relocated to premises three times the size in the same centre. Since then, they have won many local, Victorian and National awards and now employ seven staff in a growing business. “It is a great honour to be Chairman of the JAA as we look after the interests of the trade that I love.” The industry is changing at a rapid rate. Peter believes it is very important that all groups in our industry work together, so that we can all benefit.

Francesca Antonaglia JAA Vice Chair; Nominated by Queensland Branch Current Occupation: Operations Manager, Giovanni Imports Pty Ltd Francesca has recently been elected Vice Chair JAA Board and has been an active member on the Qld committee for the past 6 years. Francesca currently works with her family’s business; Giovanni Imports, a long serving member of the jewellery industry being in operation for more than 30 years. Currently, Giovanni Imports, a well grounded wholesale company, have also established retail stores under the name “Crown Family Jewellers” and the original “Maria’s Fine Gifts and Jewellery”. Francesca’s aim is to encourage JAA members to be actively involved in the growth of the industry and to see the image of the jewellery industry strengthen with strong work ethics being portrayed to the consumers.

Selwyn Brandt JAA Finance Director; Nominated by NSW/ACT Branch Current Occupation: Managing Director, House of Jewellery Elected to the JAA Board in 2003, Selwyn served as a committee member of the NSW branch for more than sixteen years and is currently Chair. He was educated in South Africa and following studies in commerce and marketing, established a jewellery supply business. He has almost thirty years of industry experience and upon migrating to Australia in 1987, began working as a manager for House of Jewellery. Purchasing the business in 1996 has been a career highlight, as well as earning a seat on the JAA Board. He has always believed he should give something back to the industry that has provided him with a living and in doing this; he hopes to create positive change.

Andrew Coogan Nominated by VIC/TAS Branch Current Occupation: Managing Director, ESGE Asia Pacific Pty Ltd In 1968 the Timex Watch Company employed over 6000 local people in their factories in Dundee, Scotland and it was in that year Andrew joined them working in the Export department. Deciding to emigrate to Australia in 1971 Andrew was surprised to be offered a job in their new factory in Melbourne. After this was established it was suggested he might like a sales representative job in NSW. After marrying in 1975, Andrew and his wife settled in Melbourne as the Victorian State Sales Manager. In 1978 Andrew subsequently joined the Seiko Australia, staying for eight years. Then after a short stint with Orient Watches he joined the Swatch Group where he again stayed for eight years as the National Sales Supervisor. Today Andrew distributes Candino Swiss Watch products and has done so for eight years.

Ian Brookes Nominated by SA/NT Branch Current Occupation: Director, Everettbrookes Pty Ltd Ian has been a part of the Australian jewellery industry for over 20 years starting out making necklaces at Pulchra of Italy, an Adelaide chain making company, of which Ian was employed for over three years until the company’s closure. As one door closes another one opens and Ian was fortunate to walk straight into the Peter W Beck organisation as a Goldsmith for 11 years and then as a national Technical Sales Consultant for the precious metals division for a further 8 years. Although Ian has some formal training, his jewellery skills are predominantly self taught and have ultimately led him to his current position as Director/Jeweller of EverettBrookes Jewellery. Ian is passionate about the jewellery industry and wants to see it thrive, Ian hopes in his time as a JAA director for SA/NT he is able to encourage all facets of the industry to come together and support the national association.

Michael Dieckmann Nominated by WA Branch Current Occupation: Director, Koro Fine Australian Jewellery Michael has been associated with the jewellery industry in Perth for over thirty years and is a qualified jeweller, goldsmith and gemmologist. Michael and his brothers Markus and Werner, formed Dieckmann Bros in the early 1980s designing and manufacturing fine jewellery to a select group of jewellers within Western Australia and interstate. In the mid 1990s Michael was one of the co founders of the Jewellery Industry Group of Western Australia - comprised of leading West Australian jewellers engaged in the design and manufacture of unique Australian jewellery pieces for local and overseas markets. From this came the formation Koro Fine Australian Jewellery. Michael’s passion for the industry is evident through his support for and involvement with, trainee apprentices. Michael believes the future success of the industry relies on the ability to be innovative, unique and to embrace change, while also creating and maintaining standards that take the industry to a level recognised and respected within Australia and overseas.

Peter Beck Nominated by Manufacturing Council Current Occupation: Chief Executive Officer, Peter W Beck Pty Ltd Peter Beck is the founder and CEO of Peter W Beck Pty Ltd. Peter started in Jewellery straight from High School in Adelaide South Australia and has worked continually in the industry ever since, the time being spent in the areas of Sales, Marketing, Manufacturing, Refining and the Processing of Precious Metals. Peter believes in a strong, respected and cohesive jewellery industry in Australia, an industry that is responsive to change, is able to keep pace with consumer tastes and demands, and one that strives to remain relevant in our ever changing and competitive world.

Colin Pocklington Nominated by Retail Council Current Occupation: Managing Director, Nationwide Jewellers Colin has 35 years experience in the jewellery industry, specialising in finance and general management. He served on the board of Australia’s largest and most profitable jewellery retailer from 1978 to 1989. In 1990, Colin co-founded Nationwide Jewellers, which has grown to become the largest marketing and buying group in Australasia, representing over 500 independent jewellery stores. On behalf of the JAA, Colin conducted industry training sessions around Australia on the Jewellery Industry Code (1997) and GST (1999) and represented the JAA on the Industry Code Committee from 1994 to 2001. He was appointed a life member of the JAA in 2002. Colin believes that there is an opportunity for the JAA to give much greater assistance to the industry, particularly in the areas of positive PR, training and compliance with fair trading laws.

Michael Mishevski Nominated by Timepiece Council Current Occupation: Chief Executive Officer, JIMACO Limited Michael Mishevski has over 20 years experience in the jewellery industry and takes a keen interest in the formulation of strategic plans to make retail stores more profitable. Michael has been Chief Executive Officer of the Showcase Jewellers buying and marketing group, which consists of 250 stores, for the past 10 years. Prior to this he was joint Chief Executive Officer for 5 years. Showcase Jewellers continue to post record sales year on year through the growth of existing retailers. Michael holds a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in accounting and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Michael believes that by making the JAA a strong organisation uniting all the different factions, the whole industry will prosper.

Graham Peterson Nominated by Opal and Gemstone Sector Council Current Occupation: Managing Director, Opal Fields Pty Ltd Graham has been in the jewellery industry for over twenty years starting as a casual at Angus and Coote in Wollongong after school, and remained at Angus and Coote for over eleven years. Graham purchased Gemstone Boutique on George Street in Sydney in late 2002 and changed it to Opals on George. In 2005 he purchased Opal Fields with two city locations and then opened two locations at Sydney International Airport in 2006. Opal has always been Graham's favourite gem, both for its beauty and the characters associated with it. Because of its relatively small size, the opal industry is a very tight knit group of dedicated opal people. The miners through to wholesalers and retailers, all have a common goal of maintaining the integrity of the product and the continuity of supply.