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
Ian joined the Board as Chair on 1 November 2020 and brings over 30 years of international and retail experience to the Group, having held a number of senior positions at UK and US consumer-facing and luxury companies.
Ian has a wealth of international and retail experience as a non executive director having served on a number of boards in the UK and the US, including Burberry Group PLC between 2007 and 2019 where he further developed a deep knowledge and appreciation of the global luxury industry, and Del Frisco Restaurant Group which is listed in the US, which he chaired. Previously Ian was with Hilton Worldwide and was an integral part of the senior team which took Hilton Worldwide private and then public in 2013.
Principal current external appointments
Servpro Industries, LLC
Chair of Del Frisco Restaurant Group
Committee Membership
Nomination Committee (Chair)
Disclosure Committee (Chair)
Remuneration Committee
ESG Committee
Chief Executive Officer
Brian Duffy
Key Skills and Experience
Brian was appointed to the Board on 7 May 2019 having been the CEO of the Group since 2014. Brian brings significant retail and international experience, financial acumen and a great understanding of the global luxury watch and jewellery sector.
Prior to this Brian served on several boards across the fashion, retail and sports sectors including several subsidiaries of Ralph Lauren, as well as the boards of Celtic PLC and Sara Lee Corporation.
Brian is an ICAS Chartered Accountant and holds an Honorary Doctorate from Glasgow Caledonian University.
Committee Membership
Disclosure Committee
ESG Committee
Chief Financial Officer
Anders Romberg
Key Skills and Experience
Anders Romberg rejoined the Group in May 2023 as Chief Financial Officer, having retired in January 2021. Prior to retiring Anders had been with the Group for 2014 years and has over 25 years of senior management experience. Prior to joining the Company Anders; served at Ralph Lauren 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.
Committee Membership
Disclosure Committee
Senior Independent Non-Executive Director
Tea Colaianni
Key Skills and Experience
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 25 years’ experience in consumer facing industries and has served as a non-executive on multiple boards. Tea brings to the Board a wealth of experience in human resources strategy and diversity initiatives. 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.
Principal external appointments
DWF Group PLC – Remuneration Chair
SD Worx nv
Committee Membership
Remuneration Committee (Chair)
Nomination Committee
Audit & Risk Committee
Disclosure Committee
ESG Committee
Independent Non-Executive Director
Rosa Monckton
Key Skills and Experience
Rosa Monckton was appointed to the Board on 7 May 2019 and has over 20 years’ experience in the luxury jewellery and watch sectors. Rosa’s experience includes setting up Tiffany & Co in the United Kingdom, and serving as Chief Executive Officer and then Chair of Asprey & Garrard. She also has experience in the charity sector, and campaigns on behalf of disabled children and adults, through her role as chair of Team Domenica.
Principal current external appointments
Team Domenica
Committee Membership
ESG Committee (Chair)
Audit & Risk Committee
Remuneration Committee
Nomination Committee
Appointed Dedicated Non-Executive Director for Workforce Engagement
Independent Non-Executive Director
Robert Moorhead
Key Skills and Experience
Robert Moorhead was appointed to the Board on 7 May 2019 and has significant experience in the retail sector. He was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of the Group in 2018 (prior to the Company being listed on the London Stock Exchange). Robert brings to the Board extensive experience in the retail sector as well as recent relevant and up to date financial experience which enables him to carry out his role as Chair of the Audit Committee, he currently serves as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of WH Smith PLC. Other previous appointments include, Finance Director at Specsavers Optical Group and Finance and IT Director at World Duty Free Europe Limited.
Robert is an ICAEW Chartered Accountant.
Principal current external appointments
WH Smith PLC
Committee Membership
Audit & Risk Committee (Chair)
Remuneration Committee
Nomination Committee
ESG Committee
Independent Non-Executive Director
Chabi Nouri
Key Skills and Experience
Before joining Watches of Switzerland Group PLC, Chabi Nouri was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Piaget watch and jewellery company (Richemont Group). Chabi is currently a Private Equity Partner with Mirabaud Asset Management, appointed in March 2022. Chabi is also currently a non-executive director of Lucid Group, Inc, an automotive and luxury consumer goods business listed on the US Stock Exchange.
Chabi began her career in 1998 at Cartier (Richemont Group) where she held various positions in operational marketing, merchandising, retail and jewellery marketing, and was responsible for the brand’s creative and fine jewellery collections. In 2008, she joined the international British American Tobacco (BAT) group as Global Director of the Vogue cigarette brand before becoming Director of Sales & Marketing for BAT in Switzerland. Chabi rejoined the Richemont Group in 2014 as Chief Marketing Officer of Piaget and took over as head of the company in early 2017. After seven years with Piaget, Chabi took on a strategic advisory role with the Richemont Group, reporting to its CEO and is currently a Private Equity Partner of Mirabaud and Co-fund manager of the Mirabaud Lifestyle franchise.
Chabi is a Swiss citizen and a graduate of the University of Fribourg. She has also been a member of the YPO (Young President Organization) since 2017.
Principal external appointments
Private Equity Partner of Mirabaud and Co-fund manager of the Mirabaud Lifestyle franchise. Chabi is also a non-executive director of Lucid Group, Inc, an automotive and luxury consumer goods business listed on the US Stock Exchange.
Committee Membership
Audit & Risk Committee
ESG Committee
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.
