Ruth Benjamin-Thomas

Ruth is the CEO of Black Opal Direct, a mine to market wholesale and retail online sales portal for Australian opal rough, polished gems and jewelry.

Ruth trained as a conservation historian after a BA in African and Australian history and a postgrad in Communications and PR. Appointments in the banking and property sector followed prior to working in the family business. She has had much experience in the Not-for-Profit sector, both outside industry with the Red Cross and other grassroots charities and recently as part of the International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA). Ruth has contributed to and coordinated the process of industry consultation to devise a new opal nomeclature. In 2018 she presented the Committee’s draft to CIBJO in Bogata, Colombia and currently sits on the CIBJO Opal Guide Working Group. 

A strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, Ruth launched the ICA initiative GemWomen, a space within the ICA membership for people for come together and network, online and in person. She looks forward to making a substantial contribution to the board of Gems Keep Giving.