Board of directors
Providing leadership to the Group and responsible for promoting the long term sustainable success of the business and to establish the purpose, values and strategy of the business.
Chair
Ian Carter
Key Skills and Experience
Appointed to the Board 1 November 2020.
Ian joined the Board as Chair on 1 November 2020 and brings over 30 years of international and retail experience, having held a number of senior positions at UK and US consumer-facing and luxury companies.
Ian currently serves as a non-executive director with Servpro Industries LLC, owned by Blackstone, where he is Chair of the Audit Committee. Ian is also a current director and Chair of Eataly USA LLC. Ian joined Hilton International as CEO in London in 2015 becoming an integral part of the team that took Hilton Worldwide private and then public in 2013.
Prior to joining Hilton, Ian served as an Officer and President of Black & Decker Corporation. Ian has significant experience as a non-executive director having served on a number of boards in the UK and US, including Burberry Group PLC, and Chair of the Del Frisco Restaurant Group, listed in the US.
Chief Executive Officer
Brian Duffy
Key Skills and Experience
Appointed to the Board 7 May 2019.
Brian was appointed to the Board on 7 May 2019 having served on several boards across the fashion, retail and sports sectors and has been the CEO of the Group since 2014. Brian brings to the Board significant retail and international experience, financial acumen and in-depth understanding of the global luxury watch and jewellery sector.
Brian has previously served on the boards of several subsidiaries of Ralph Lauren, as well as the boards of Celtic PLC and Sara Lee Corporation.
Brian is the Chair of The Watches of Switzerland Group Foundation and was appointed as Chair of the Prince's Trust Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Fundraising Leadership Group in January 2023.
Brian is an ICAS Chartered Accountant and holds an Honorary Doctorate from Glasgow Caledonian University.
Chief Financial Officer
Anders Romberg
Key Skills and Experience
Appointed to the Board 12 May 2023.
Anders Romberg was reappointed to the Board in 2023 as Chief Financial Officer. Anders was previously the CFO of the Watches of Switzerland Group from 2014 to 2022, transforming the business globally and taking the Company from private to public.
Before this, Anders was with Ralph Lauren serving as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer for Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Chief Operating Officer for Asia Pacific. Anders has previously held senior finance roles at Gillette and Duracell.
Senior Independent Non-Executive Director
Tea Colaianni
Key Skills and Experience
Appointed to the Board 7 May 2019.
Tea Colaianni was appointed as a Non- Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee of the Group in December 2018 and Senior Independent Director of the Company in May 2019. Tea has more than 30 years’ experience in consumer facing industries and has served as a non-executive director on multiple boards. Tea currently serves on the board of SD Worx NV. Tea is the founder and Chair of WiHTL - Diversity in Hospitality, Travel and Leisure and diversity in Retail (DiR).
Tea brings to the Board a wealth of experience in HR strategy, governance and consumer facing industries and has particular regard to diversity, equity and inclusive matters. She has significant experience as a non-executive director including extensive and current experience of all remuneration matters which enables her to carry out her role as Chair of the Remuneration Committee.
Independent Non-Executive Director
Baroness (Rosa) Monckton MBE
Key Skills and Experience
Appointed to the board 7 May 2019.
Rosa has over 20 years' experience in the luxury jewellery and watch sectors and was appointed to the Board on 7 May 2019. Rosa’s experience includes setting up Tiffany & Co in the United Kingdom, and serving as Chief Executive Officer and then Chair of Asprey & Garrard. Rosa also has experience in the charity sector, and campaigns on behalf of disabled children and adults, through her role as chair of Team Domenica.
Rosa was granted a peerage in January 2024 for her work as a charity founder and advocate for inclusion and equal opportunities for people with special educational needs.
Independent Non-Executive Director
Robert Moorhead
Key Skills and Experience
Appointed to the Board 7 May 2019.
Robert Moorhead has significant experience in the retail sector and was appointed as a Non-Executive Director in 2018. Robert currently serves as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of WH Smith PLC and was previously Finance Director at Specsavers Optical Group and Finance and IT Director at World Duty Free Europe Limited. Robert brings to the Board extensive experience in the retail sector as well as recent relevant and up to date financial and information technology and cyber experience which enables him to carry out his role as Chair of the Audit Committee.
Robert is an ICAEW Chartered Accountant.
Independent Non-Executive Director
Chabi Nouri
Key Skills and Experience
Appointed to the Board 1 May 2022.
Chabi has over 20 years' experience in the luxury jewellery and watches sectors and was appointed as a Non-Executive Director in 2022. Chabi has particular experience in the jewellery sector for marketing and merchandising, being responsible for Cartier's creative and fine jewellery collections and serving as the Chief Marketing Officer at Piaget, appointed as head of the company in early 2017. Chabi is currently a non-executive director of Lucid Group, Inc, an automotive and luxury consumer goods business listed on the US Stock Exchange, Group Marketing and Communications Head at Mirabaud Group and director and Chair of EveryWatch DMCC.
Board Roles
- Leadership and effective governance of the Board
- Sets the Board agenda
- Ensures the Board receives sufficient, pertinent, timely and clear information
- Ensures each Non-Executive Director makes an effective contribution to the Board.
- Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Group
- Develops the Group’s strategic objectives for approval by the Board
- Delivers the strategic and financial objectives in line with the approved strategy
- Leads the Trading Board and senior management in managing the operational requirements of the business
- Ensures effective and ongoing communication with shareholders.
- Gauges the views of the workforce on a regular basis and identifies any areas of concern
- Ensures the views and concerns of the workforce are taken into account by the Board, particularly when they are making decisions that could affect the workforce
- Escalates such concerns to the Executive Board or other senior management as appropriate
- Feeds back to the workforce on what steps have been taken to address their concerns or to explain why particular steps have or have not been taken
- Ensures the views of the workforce are communicated to the Board
- Ensures the Board takes appropriate steps to evaluate the impact of proposals and developments on the workforce and considers what steps should be taken to mitigate any adverse impact.
- Acts as a ‘sounding board’ for the Chairman
- Leads the Non-Executive Directors in their annual assessment of the Chairman’s performance
- Available to shareholders if they have concerns which the normal channels through the Chairman, CEO or other Directors have failed to resolve.
- Provide constructive contribution and challenge to the development of the strategy
- Monitor the operational and financial performance of management
- Monitor the integrity of the financial information, financial controls and systems of risk management.
- Works with the CEO to develop and implement the Group’s strategic objectives
- Delivers the financial performance of the Group
- Ensures the Group remains appropriately funded to pursue its strategic objectives
- Ensures proper financial controls and risk management of the Group and compliance with associated regulation
- Ensures effective and ongoing communication with shareholders.
- Supports the Board and its Committees with their responsibilities
- Advises on regulatory compliance and corporate governance
- Ensures compliance with the Board’s procedures and with applicable rules and regulations
- Acts as secretary to the Board and all Committees
- Communicates with shareholders and organises the AGM.
