BALMAIN
French luxury fashion house BALMAIN has announced the appointment of Annis Cai as General Manager for Asia-Pacific, effective March 30, 2026.
Annis Cai brings extensive and diverse international experience in the luxury industry. Prior to joining BALMAIN, she served as Retail Director for Audemars Piguet China, overseeing retail operations in one of the brand’s most strategically important markets in Asia. Previously, she was General Manager of Harrods China, where she led the expansion and operations of this innovative and exclusive concept. She also held the positions of Regional Retail Manager at Chanel China and Boutique Director of the Chanel Plaza 66 Shanghai store, one of the brand’s most iconic and high-performing locations in the market, where she played a key role in team leadership, delivering exceptional client service, and driving commercial results.
Annis Cai holds a Master’s degree from the School of Management at Fudan University. She combines outstanding operational expertise, deep insight into client expectations, and the ability to lead organisations in complex and fast-changing environments. In her new role, she will be responsible for sustaining the brand’s current growth momentum and accelerating its continued expansion in this core strategic region.
Starboard
Global cruise retail company Starboard has appointed Jia Jia Liu as General Manager for Asia.
In her new role, Jia Jia Liu will continue to be based in Shanghai and will assume full responsibility for Starboard’s partner business across Asia. She will report directly to Claudia King-McWilliams, Vice President of Starboard and General Manager for Royal Caribbean International and Asia.
Jia Jia Liu has been with Starboard for 16 years, during which she has taken on roles of increasing responsibility. Since January 2025, she has served as Head of the Asia Client Team. She began her career with Starboard as an onboard Retail Manager.
Starboard stated that the appointment comes as the company continues to develop personalised, localised, and experiential retail programmes for its global cruise partners.
In a statement, Starboard President and Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bauer said, “Over the past few years, Jia Jia Liu has played a central role in strengthening our Asia client business. Her deep understanding of the market and operating environment makes her the ideal leader to deepen our partnerships in the region, while enhancing the Starboard retail experience for our cruise partners and their guests.”
Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Miami, Starboard has offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Genoa, Italy. Starboard and Onboard Media are both members of Global Travel Retail Holdings, LLC, which was formed by LVMH and Gissy Investments. In 2023, a group of investors led by Jim Gissy acquired a majority stake in Cruise Line Holdings Co., the parent company of Starboard & Onboard Cruise Services, from LVMH Group.
In September 2024, Starboard officially rebranded as Starboard Group, establishing three independent business divisions: Starboard Cruise (cruise retail), Starboard Luxury (luxury retail), and Starboard Resort (resort retail). Onboard Media focuses on creating diversified multimedia experiences to help the travel and hospitality industries enhance brand influence and revenue.
Gemological Institute of America (GIA)
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has announced that Executive Vice President and Chief Laboratory and Research Officer Tom Moses has decided to step down.
After nearly 50 years with the organisation, Tom Moses will remain in his role until May to ensure a smooth transition, a process that he and the Institute have been preparing for over several years. In recognition of his contributions, he will be awarded the honorary title of Distinguished Research Fellow in Gemology.
In the coming months, Tom Moses will work closely with GIA’s research and laboratory teams to further strengthen the Institute’s industry-leading research, serve clients, and advance its mission.
Tom Moses joined the GIA Santa Monica laboratory in 1976 after earning his Graduate Gemologist diploma. He later moved to New York to work under Robert Crowningshield, one of the world’s most respected gemologists. Over the course of his career at GIA, he held numerous management positions and co-authored more than 100 technical papers in Gems & Gemology and other peer-reviewed journals. A key driver of the Institute’s global expansion, Tom Moses helped establish GIA as a global leader in gemology and education. He received the Richard T. Liddicoat Award for Distinguished Achievement in 2002 and was elected to the GIA Board of Governors in 2013, further recognising his leadership.
| Source: Official press releases
| Image Credit: Brands and official social media accounts
| Editor: Luxe.CO
