Waterford Wedgwood
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Waterford Wedgwood is a public company, the holding entity for a group of companies headquartered in Ireland, who specialise in manufacturing high quality china, porcelain and glass. The group is dominated by Tony O'Reilly and his immediate family, and the family of Mr. O'Reilly's second wife, Chryss, the two families together having invested hundreds of millions of euro in it. Its financial record has been mixed, and significant cost-cutting has been ongoing for many years.
Contents |
[edit] Subsidiaries
The group's constituent companies include:
- Waterford Crystal, with brands including Waterford, Marquis by Waterford and a number of Waterford-designer cooperations, such as with John Rocha
- Wedgwood (Josiah Wedgwood and Sons), with the range of Wedgwood brands, along with Coalport, Mason's and Johnson Brothers
- Rosenthal AG
- Royal Doulton
- Cashs of Ireland
and the group also licences its brands to other companies.
[edit] Financing
A convertible preference share issue was made in April 2007, totalling 200 million euro. Subscribers included Lazard Alternative Investments (50 million euro), Tony O'Reilly, Peter Goulandris and others.
[edit] Management
On 2 April 2008, the CEO, Peter Cameron (previously COO, and prior to that CEO of acquisition All-Clad), resigned, and was replaced by David Sculley.
[edit] Directors
At April 2008, the Board of Directors comprises:
- Sir Anthony (Tony) O'Reilly, Chairman
- Peter Goulandris, Deputy Chairman
- Lady Chryss O'Reilly (nee Goulandris)
- David W. Sculley, Interim Group CEO (from 2 April 2008), partner in a New York investment firm
- Anthony Jones, CFO (from November 2007)
- Mark Downie, Company Secretary
- Dr. F. Alan Wedgwood
- Lord Wedgwood
- John Foley, CEO of Waterford Crystal
- Kevin McGoran, Chairman of Waterford Crystal and Fitzwilton plc
- Ottmar C. Kusel, CEO of Rosenthal AG
- (P.) Redmond O'Donogue, Group CEO until 31 August 2005
- Patrick J Molloy, senior independent director
- Jonathan (Jon) H. Kagan (Lazard)
- Ali E. Wambold (Lazard)
