Cardington chooses fashionable FD
Marketing services group Cardington - soon to be known as Luxury Brands Group - has appointed Marlies Spiekman, the former European financial controller of Louis Vuitton UK, as group financial director.
Spiekman’s appointment is a real coup for the the Luxury Brands Group board given her previous experience at Louis Vuitton which has given her ‘significant experience in the ‘luxury goods sector’.
In addition to her role at Louis Vuitton, Spiekman also guided the financial growth of international fashion labels Loewe, Berluti and Christian Dior.
She will now have the responsibility of managing the finances of the British couture houses of Hardy Amies and Norman Hartnell, Cardington acquired in May and August this year respectively
Speaking to AccountancyAge.com, Spiekman said she believed it was a good time to be launching the group. And while acknowledging the current economic climate, Spiekman said: ‘[Luxury Brands] is beginning at what is a very good time for acquisitions.’
David Duncan Smith, the brother of Tory party Iain Duncan Smith, was appointed as chief executive officer along with Sir John Coward as non-executive chairman.
Smith said of Spiekman: ‘Marlies’ experience in multi-brand control and her knowledge of the sector will be invaluable as the business develops.’
His appointment is also a major triumph for the group, having previously been managing director of the UK arm of Italian fashion house Prada where he oversaw brands like Helmut Lang, Prada Sport and Miu Miu.
The appointments of Spiekman, Smith and Coward come as Cardington prepares to launch Luxury Brands Group in early 2002 as a British based luxury goods group.
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