Dermott Rowan
Dermott Rowan is the managing director and co-owner of Kiely Rowan Plc, the company that owns the fashion brands Orla Kiely and Olive & Orange. His wife Orla Kiely started the brand in the early nineties as a women's bag designer.
Rowan was born in Dublin[1] where he attended Clongowes Wood College, and graduated from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. He worked as a financial controller before 1997 [where?], when he and Kiely founded the Orla Kiely Partnership, which would become Kiely Rowan Plc. in 2004.[2][3]
He is responsible for international business negotiations for the company,[2] and the supply of the 550 US stockists.[1] His focussed on the Japanese market, following the lead of Paul Smith.[4] With Kiely he won the UK Fashion Exporter's Exporter of the Year Award 2008.[5] In 2009 he was a finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards International category.[6]
Rowan lectures on international brand building and export strategy at colleges in the UK in addition to being a regular guest speaker to the UK Fashion Exports, the Japan Institute and the Entrepreneurs Club of Hong Kong.[7]
Personal life
He and his wife live in Clapham with their two sons.[2] [3]
References
- ^ a b O'Clery, Cathy (28 June 2008). "In the bag". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
- ^ a b c Walshe, Barbara (February 2008). "Orla Kiely: The Irish Charm". Coutts Woman. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
- ^ a b Emling, Shelly (6 June 2009). "A Designer's Gift for Understatement". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
- ^ "HSBC to pay for business owners to learn from international mentors". Daily Telegraph. 10 May 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
- ^ Bumpus, Jessica (28 July 2008). "Kiely's Big Plans". Vogue. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
- ^ "Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year". RTÉ Television. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
- ^ "Past Speakers". The Entrepreneurs Club. Retrieved 6 July 2010.