Edinburgh based jewellers Hamilton & Inches has appointed Jonathan Payne as its new managing director to support Victoria Houghton, CEO.
Victoria Houghton, CEO of Hamilton & Inches said “Jonathan Payne is the perfect candidate to step into the role of managing director for Hamilton & Inches. His experience and reputation is outstanding and his understanding of Scotland as a retail destination will add credence to our global development strategy.
“He brings exceptional business management acumen, alongside true dedication and energy to support the team in delivering a fresh approach to the five-year growth strategy. His many years of experience and knowledge of the jewellery and fine watches market will be welcomed by the Board.”
The experienced and highly regarded team at Hamilton & Inches will be looking to double turnover over the next five years. The renovations to the George Street showroom will deliver a fresh experiential retail approach, which has not been seen before in Scotland. This investment and vision for the future is also part of Hamilton & Inches’ campaign to champion Edinburgh as one of the leading shopping destinations in the world.
“Having the opportunity to join such an experienced team and iconic brand is a real privilege,” comments Jonathan Payne, managing director at Hamilton & Inches. “To me, Hamilton & Inches represents everything a luxury jeweller should be. This includes the talented team in the workshop handcrafting exceptional silverware and jewellery, the vastly knowledgeable and experienced retail team and the longstanding relationships the team has developed over many years with clients and brands. I feel incredibly fortunate to be joining the team at the start of a period of significant growth and look forward to working with the team to cement our reputation as Scotland’s finest jeweller.”
Jonathan has an impressive track record as a retail and business leader, which includes his responsibility for growth of a £35 million turnover across four locations; Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Southampton in his time at Laings.
Jonathan also held the role of Sales and Operations Director at Holland & Barrett, executing exceptional managerial and leadership skills, managing a team of Regional and Area Sales managers overseeing hundreds of retail outlets. Previously, as Head of Retail Operations for the Watches of Switzerland Group, Jonathan helped deliver record growth and profitability during a time of acquisition and change. He was also responsible for a standalone division of The Watches of Switzerland Group and gained expert experience in providing insurance replacement services for General Insurers, sales of in house insurance cover and B2B sales.