UPMARKET Edinburgh jeweller Hamilton & Inches has appointed retail industry veteran Victoria Houghton as chief executive, as it aims to double annual turnover to £20 million over five years.
Hamilton & Inches said Ms Houghton would reignite its “rich heritage of holding the Royal Warrant as silversmiths to Her Majesty the Queen for more than 120 years, whilst introducing a new contemporary style to the brand”.
Ms Houghton succeeds Stephen Paterson as chief executive of Hamilton & Inches, which has a showroom and bespoke design workshop in George Street in Edinburgh. The jeweller, which opened in 1866, declared Mr Paterson had “stepped down after 40 years of excellent service”.
Hamilton & Inches noted that Ms Houghton, who has been a non-executive director of the jeweller since June 2018 and took up the top post yesterday, had held the role of fashion and accessories buyer at Next, River Island and Marks & Spencer. It also flagged Ms Houghton’s role in establishing four profitable Next stores in the Romanian capital of Bucharest.
The jeweller said: “Houghton’s honours degree in cultural and historical art, as well as her A-grade certificate in gemology, [are] welcomed by the board to preserve the rich Scottish heritage of Hamilton & Inches.”
The jeweller said that developing its watch offering, with partners Rolex, Patek Philippe and Bremont, would also be “an integral part of the strategy”. It added that each of these partners had endorsed the chief executive appointment.
Hamilton & Inches chairman Peter Lederer said: “Houghton’s involvement over the past year has been exceptional and her understanding of global industry trends in retail and unique ability to get to the crux of the issues is impressive. She brings passion, dedication and a fresh approach to deliver the five-year growth strategy.”
Ms Houghton said she looked forward to continuing her work to “reposition” the “Scottish heritage brand to build market share in the global retail landscape”.
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