Kim Winser
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Kim Winser | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 11, 1959 Helensburgh, Scotland |
| Occupation | Businesswoman |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Employer | Winser London |
| Organization(s) | Marks & Spencer Pringle of Scotland Aquascutum Agent Provocateur |
| Known for | Chief Executive Officer Founder of Winser London |
| Awards | BBC's 100 Women (2014) |
Kim Lesley Winser (born 11 March 1959) is a British businesswoman and CEO of the womenswear label, Winser London.[1] Winser was the youngest-appointed female commercial divisional board director at Marks & Spencer, a former CEO at Pringle of Scotland and Aquascutum, and former chairman of Agent Provocateur.[2] In 2006, Winser was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the British fashion industry.[3]
Kim Winser was born in Helensburgh, Scotland and educated at Purbrook Grammar School, Hampshire, England.[4][5] Winser is a former competitive tennis player and continues to play recreationally.[2]
Career
Winser began her career with Marks & Spencer having joined the Management Training Scheme in 1977.[6] Winser's rise through the ranks culminated in her appointment as Marks & Spencer's youngest Divisional Board Director, as Director of Womenswear, the Company's largest division at the time.[7][3]
Winser went on to deliver successful turnarounds for the iconic British heritage brands Pringle of Scotland (2000 - 2006) as Chief Executive Officer, and Aquascutum (2006 - 2009) as Global President and Chief Executive Officer.[8] Winser is credited with repositioning both brands from traditional fashion houses into contemporary global names.[9] Winser launched Pringle of Scotland's first dedicated flagship store on Bond Street, in the UK.[10] She also secured a number of high-profile celebrity partnerships which included Pierce Brosnan and Gisele Bündchen who both fronted campaigns for Aquascutum.[11]
Winser's turnarounds of Pringle of Scotland and Aquascutum were featured by the BBC in two separate programmes.[12][8][11] During this period Winser also worked with the Scottish cashmere and British wool industries, supporting initiatives, growth and exports.[13]
Following her tenure at Aquascutum, Winser was brought on by 3i, the UK-based private equity firm, as a Senior Advisor in early 2009, to support their investments across the retail and consumer industries and to Chair one of their portfolio's brands – Agent Provocateur. Winser helped successfully reposition the chain as a luxury brand, supporting their global expansion into new markets by which the company's underlying profits almost tripled.[14]
During this same period, she also served as an advisor to the global digital e-commerce business, Net-a-Porter, overseeing their expansion into new markets across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.[15]