Can you tell us a little bit about your background? 
Prior to joining Partridge, I spent around 12 years in corporate roles and as a management consultant. I had some amazing opportunities and positions within Kiwibank, PwC and most recently, as a Partner with KPMG. Throughout my career to date, I have had the opportunity to work with a wide range of New Zealand organisations, helping them to improve ways of working in line with their vision for growth and improved profitability.  

As Partridge Jewellers first ever CEO, can you summarise your key responsibilities?  
First and foremost, my responsibility is to set a clear strategy for the future and keep the family and our teams focussed on our priorities. It is also about leadership, building on our culture of high performance and managing through significant, exciting changes we have ahead of us. We have a great culture and great leaders across the business and I'm very lucky to have a strong foundation to work with. With big growth plans for the business it’s super important that we are all running in the same direction and that the pace is sustainable.  

How would you describe your leadership style, and how do you create a positive company culture? 
I'm a collaborative leader and believe that the best ideas and results come when you work as a team. You have to balance that though, with a willingness to make decisions and set clear direction. I think it is important to be surrounded by different perspectives. Consulting taught me that if you always think you are the smartest person in the room or think you always need to have the answer, then you miss the creativity that is all around you.  

What do you see as the biggest challenges in the luxury industry today? How do you stay informed on industry trends and changes?
There has been an endless list of challenges for luxury and retail both here in New Zealand and globally so staying in tune with what is happening is so important. At Partridge we have strong relationships with our brand partners in NZ and across the globe which helps immensely with staying ahead. As well as following different publications, we can share first-hand what we are seeing here, and test and challenge that against what our partners are seeing offshore. Our overall brand and client experience is one challenge that is top of mind for me at the moment as it traverses all our teams and channels.  

What makes you passionate about your job?
I’m so lucky with this job as it really does combine a lot of things I’m passionate about and have built up the skills for. What really gets me out of bed is our team and seeing and hearing their passion for the products we sell, producing new designs and collections and surprising and delighting our clients in our unique Partridge way.   

If you could purchase one thing today, what is currently on your wishlist? 
So many things! I have a few big personal milestones coming up so those will create the perfect excuse to explore a new piece of jewellery or a new watch. We have so much talent in the business for design and I also love the innovation and storytelling that works its way through all our jewellery and watches.  Spending time in store trying on pieces with our team is the best way to build your own wishlist! 

What is one of your favourite things to do outside of work?  
In the mornings my regular routine is a run with our family dog. This helps me clear my head and plan out the things I want to achieve that day. With a young family, I’m focussed on spending as much time with them as I can outside of work and we love exploring Auckland and further afield by both land and sea. If I get a moment alone or with friends, I love a glass of wine, exploring art and getting interior design inspiration. 

Are there any exciting updates in the business we can expect over the next 12-18 months? 
We have big plans for the business in 2025 and the years following. Without giving too much away, there are some really exciting brand and store updates just around the corner. Our retail spaces are also going to be far better supported by our investment in new technology and that rollout is imminent. We look forward to this really unlocking our strategy and vision to be unrivalled when it comes to brand and client experience.  

How do you ensure alignment between the business’ goals and the expectations of your employees and clients/customers?
My focus is on transparency and making sure that as we grow, we don’t have silos between our different teams. It’s important for me to see all of our people working closely together and constantly sharing information about the market and from our client experiences. We have recently refreshed our strategy so this is now the time to line up incentives that drive the right behaviours and outcomes we want to achieve.