Ray Kelvin

Kelvin, who is Jewish,^[7][8] grew up in Edmonton, north London, and was educated at JFS.^[5] He started working in his grandfather's menswear shop in Enfield at the age of eleven.^[9][10]

A former employee created a petition in 2018 that received 2,000 signatures to put an end to his hugs and allegedly inappropriate activities with staff, as a result of an unconfirmed lack of support from Ted Baker's HR department.^[4][11] On 7 December 2018, it was announced that Kelvin would be taking voluntary leave of absence from the company.^[12] On 4 March 2019, following an internal independent committee investigation, it was announced that Kelvin had resigned and would be leaving Ted Baker with immediate effect.^[13][14] Kelvin came back to the firm on an advisory basis about a year after the "forced hugging" scandal.^{[citation needed]}

Kelvin was awarded an honorary doctorate in business administration from the University of Bath in 2007.^[15] In the 2011 New Year Honours, he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to the fashion industry.^[5][16]

Kelvin was married for six years to actress Georgia Slowe before splitting up in 1999 and divorcing in 2000. They have two sons. In March 2012, Kelvin married his second wife, Clare (formerly Clare Kavanagh),^[17] with whom he has a daughter.^[18]

In his spare time he enjoys fly fishing.^[6][19]