Kim Winser, OBE is a businesswoman born in Helensburgh, Scotland[1] and educated at Purbrook Grammar School, Hampshire, England.[2] In her childhood, she was a highly talented tennis player, and considered moving to America to pursue the sport before switching over to business where she joined Marks & Spencer (M&S) in 1977[3] and became retailer’s youngest appointed divisional director and first female in the commercial field.[4] Winser's turnarounds of Pringle of Scotland and Aquascutum were featured by the BBC in two separate programmes.[5][6][7] In early 2009, she was brought on by 3i to advise them on its retail and consumer investments and to chair one of their portfolio’s brands – Agent Provocateur.[8] During her time with 3i she has repositioned the chain as a luxury brand, led its global expansion into new markets and most recently announced almost tripling the company's underlying profits.[9] Currently, Winser serves as a special advisor at French Sole.[10]
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Winser became Pringle of Scotland's chief executive officer following its takeover by Hong Kong-based S.C. Fang & Sons Company in 2000.[11] As a partial owner, she revamped the business by taking it from a brand known for men’s golf wear, to an international brand in fashion. She closed a number of poor licenses, used the company’s vast archive of nearly 200 years and relaunched the brand as a modern, desirable one.[12] She sought greater efficiencies in the company’s Hawick factory. She launched a retail division with shops in Bond Street and Sloane Street, London and elsewhere internationally.
In April 2006, Renown/Kaleido appointed Winser to President and Chief Executive Officer of the British Aquascutum company to revitalize the brand. She introduced a wholesale structure into the company and launched the top accounts globally.[13] Since her appointment, the international growth of the brand had increased. She introduced a new image for the brand, with celebrities such as Pierce Brosnan and Gisele Bündchen appearing in campaigns. She pushed for Aquascutum to be one of the first brands to put on a fashion show in Shanghai, China.[14] In 2009, when the company’s owners opted to sell off components of the business rather than keeping it intact, Winser decided to leave.
Winser supports a number of charities, including working with HRH Prince Charles with The Prince's Trust, Ewan McGregor for the Children's Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS), and Lady Helen Taylor for CLIC Sargent. She’s also very active in a number of events dedicated towards breast cancer awareness.
Winser has appeared on several notable TV and radio programmes including:
Winser served as a Non-Executive Director of The Edrington Group,[15] and in 2011, was asked by the English Government to deliver The Good Work Commission, alongside John Varley and other notable executives.[16]