Appointment: Victoria Houghton appointed as new Hamilton & Inches CEO
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Hamilton & Inches has appointed Victoria Houghton as its new Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect. Houghton takes over from Stephen Paterson after a 40 year tenure and has been charged with managing a new company strategy which aims to double its turnover to £20 million over the next five years.
Houghton’s rise to the top stands in the wake of any array of international luxury and retail experience which has included the role of Fashion and Accessories buyer at Next plc, River Island and M&S. She relocated to Bangkok, Thailand whilst in the position of Product Developer for Next plc. Houghton was also appointed by Q5 business management consultants to work with Burberry on their strategic business transformation and change management project. She had also initiated negotiations to take on the country-wide franchise for Next in Romania and firmly established it with four profitable stores in Bucharest. She also has an honours degree in Cultural and Historical Art, and an A grade certificate in Gemology.
As new Chief Executive Officer Houghton has to spearhead the modernisation the Edinburgh jeweller's image whilst preserving the company's heritage and giving it a contemporary edge. Hamilton & Inches has held the Royal Warrant as silversmiths to Her Majesty the Queen for more than 120 years and has existing partnerships with brands including Rolex, Patek Philippe and Bremont.
“I am delighted to be joining Hamilton & Inches as CEO at such an exciting time for the business. I look forward to continuing my work to reposition such an iconic Scottish heritage brand to build market share in the global retail landscape.”
- Victoria Houghton
Houghton has been working with Hamilton & Inches since 2018 when she took a position on the company’s board. New plans include giving the George Street shop in Edinburgh a facelift and creating an 'experiential retail approach' for its customers. The Hamilton & Inches brand plans to continue to develop their existing bespoke design service from the Edinburgh workshop to meet the growing market for fine jewellery and engagement rings.
“Victoria is the perfect candidate to step into the new role of CEO for Hamilton & Inches. Her 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 for Hamilton & Inches.”
Commented Peter Lederer, Chairman of Hamilton & Inches.
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