Jacqueline
Gold, Chief Executive of Ann Summers and Knickerbox,
is one of Britain’s most successful businesswomen
and an inspiration to thousands of women (voted
the second Most Powerful Woman in Retail by Retail
Week, one of Britain's top 10 most powerful women
by Cosmopolitan, top 12 women by Good Housekeeping
Magazine, one of Britain's 100 Most Influential
Women by the Daily Mail, Business Communicator
of the Year 2004, and was made a new entry in
Debrett's 'People of Today' 2005 for her contribution
to British Society). She heads an empire that
is run by women, for women.
Jacqueline is the charismatic boss of one of Britain’s most extraordinary
business families. With a gross annual sales turnover
at over £155 million, Ann Summers ranks as one
of the most successful and profitable private
companies in the UK.
The parent company Gold Group International incorporates
property and publishing interests, Gold Air International
(a luxurious executive airline), and Birmingham
City Football Club. The combined family fortune
is estimated at £515 million*.
At the age of 21, working as a junior in her father’s
business, Jacqueline saw the potential of selling
sexy lingerie and sex toys to women in the privacy
of their own homes. Working her way through the
ranks of the company Jacqueline was made Chief
Executive in 1987, and quickly transformed Ann
Summers into a multi-million pound concern. Ann
Summers now boasts a sales force of over 7,500
women as party organisers, and has 122 high street
stores in the UK, Ireland,
and Channel Islands and one in Spain. Future plans
include further outlets in the UK and worldwide. Whilst
the recent takeover of Knickerbox has added another
25 stores in the UK
to the group, plus five franchises in Iceland
and Greece.
Jacqueline has been the subject of several documentaries
including 'Back To The Floor' (BBC2, 2001), 'Ann
Summers Uncovered' (ITV1, 2003), and 'So What
Do You Do All Day' (BBC2, 2004), and co-presented
the daytime business series 'Mind Your Own Business'
(BBC1, 2005). Her autobiography 'Good Vibrations'
was published in 1995 (Pavilion Books). She is
a regular columnist for 'Retail Week'.
Jacqueline is set to take over as chairwoman of
her family’s £515 million empire.
* Sunday Times 'Rich List 2005'
* Ann Summers has been voted one of the 'Top 100
Companies To Work For 2005' by the DTI. |
