Diane Irvine

Online diamond retailer Blue Nile named retail industry veteran Harvey Kanter as its chief executive, effective March 30. Kanter replaces Vijay Talwar, who took the role on an interim basis after former CEO Diane Irvine resigned last November as the company struggled to pass rising diamond costs to consumers.

Online jewelry retailer Blue Nile announced that CEO Diane Irvine has resigned from the company, effective Nov. 11. Vijay Talwar, Blue Nile's senior vice president and general manager of international, has been appointed interim CEO. 

Blue Nile reported record sales during Thanksgiving weekend, spurred by an increase in shoppers using the online jeweler's mobile site and smartphone apps, said CEO Diane Irvine. About a quarter of the company's traffic now comes through smartphones, and iPad shoppers spend an average of 62% more than traditional online shoppers.