Excellence in the field of Gems Stones & Jewelry
Mr. Sampat Poddar is the founding president and CEO of Byrex Gems Inc. He built the company from its inception to a major supplier of precious stones and jewelry to the jewelry industry in Canada. Its current office locations include Montreal, New York, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Jaipur (India) with over 50 employees. He was also a Senior Tax Advisor, Tax Policy, Government of Alberta, Edmonton and developed various tax and royalty incentive programs to promote Oil and Gas Exploration and Development activities in Alberta.
He is the Treasurer of the Diamond Bourse of Canada and a Board Member of the IDCA Board of Directors. For his untiring efforts and for his philanthropic investments in social innovations, Mr. Poddar was awarded the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. Mr. Poddar graduated from the University of Rajasthan in 1974 with a Master’s Degree in Economics and also holds an MBA in Business Finance from McMaster University. He has dedicated the better part of his life to spiritual advancement, philanthropy and increasing the prominence of the Indian business community in Canada. Through his charitable trust, Mr.Poddar has made the commitment and is in the process of improving access to health care, education and spirituality with focus on initiatives in Rajasthan and Canada.