Iris Van der Veken

Iris Van der Veken is the Executive Director and Secretary General of the Watch and Jewellery Initiative 2030, and a Terras Advisory Board member.
She has joined Terras Tuscany and Terras New York, and is a regular contributor to Terras member calls.

WJI 2030 was co-founded by Kering and Cartier, with Richemont as a delegating partner. Under Iris's leadership since 2022, the initiative has become one of the most prominent multi-stakeholder coalitions in the watch and jewellery sector. With over 25 years of experience on the ground in India, China, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and across Africa, Iris has worked across global supply chains on human rights due diligence, labour rights, nature, environmental standards, and traceability.

Iris has been an active ambassador for gender equality and women's rights in the industry, helping to shape partnerships with UN Women on gender equality and gender-responsive procurement. She is a member of the 100 Women @Davos Inclusive Leadership Council, and previously served as the first Chairwoman of UN Global Compact Belgium under the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.