JANUARY 2018
TOUS strengthens its commitment to digitalization and international expansion with new additions to the Board of Directors
TOUS, the leading Spanish jewelry and accessories brand in the affordable luxury sector, has bolstered its Board of Directors with the aim of enhancing its commitment to digitalization, as well as consolidating the process of international expansion that the company is carrying out.
Namely, the company’s Board of Directors has incorporated Alain Hertach as a new member for his specialization in the consumer and digital segments. Hertach, with 11 years of experience in the sector, belongs to the Partners Group, a Swiss investment fund that acquired 25% of the company's capital in 2015 and that specializes in investing in businesses that are leaders in their markets, want to expand internationally and, above all, in entrepreneurial alliances that have great growth potential and a sound financial structure. Prior to joining the Partners Group team, Hertach worked for Ernst & Young and PricewaterhouseCoopers. He has a degree in Banking and Finance from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences and Arts. He is also a Board member at Hunter Boots.
In turn, the entry of Alain Hertach means the departure of Tim Pihl Johannessen, who joined the Board in April 2016 for his knowledge of the Asian continent at a time when TOUS was developing an ambitious plan in this market that included the establishment of its own subsidiary. It is worth mention too, as a representative of Partners Group in the Board of Directors, the figure of Andrew David Deakin. Deakin leads Partners Group’s private equity team in London and has been with them since 2013. Andrew has been in the private equity industry for 17 years, prior to which worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Andrew has been involved in a broad range of consumer, leisure, healthcare and financial services businesses, and currently sits on the Boards of International Schools Partnership, Voyage Healthcare and Key Retirement. He has a degree in Economics from the University of Nottingham.
TOUS has also incorporated Ignacio de Pinedo as an independent adviser, as he is a professional whose experience in the digital area will contribute to the digital transformation of the company. De Pinedo has developed part of his professional career in the Marketing department of Procter & Gamble and has served as Marketing Director of Canal +. In 2009 he founded the Institute of Internet Development (ISDI), the first native digital business school with presence in Europe, Latin America and the United States. He is also founder of IMPACT, one of the start-ups accelerators recognized among the ten most important in the world. De Pinedo studied Business Studies at ICADE and holds a PhD in Marketing from the Complutense University of Madrid.
In addition, the company maintains in its Board of Directors two other independent Board members; Luis Bach Terricabras and Beatriz González-Cristóbal Poyo, who joined the firm in 2013 due to their extensive experience around retail and companies’ internationalization.
Beatriz González-Cristóbal is an Executive MBA from the Instituto de Empresa and has a profound knowledge of the retail and luxury sector. She has been Executive Vice president of Sales and Distribution and a Comex member of Hermès International Group, where she was responsible for the global distribution and sales network, composed by 550 stores in 42 countries. In addition, she has held senior management positions in firms such as Loewe or Bulgari. Currently belongs to the board of directors of the Circulo Fortuny, as a TOUS counsellor to represent Rosa Oriol ATELIER TOUS together with Rosa Tous Oriol and José María Folache.
On the other hand, Luis Bach holds an MBA from Esade Business School. He is currently the president of Samson & Surrey, a company dedicated to the production and distribution of artisanal distilled beverages, mainly based in the United States and with an operational base in Miami. He has also been Chairman of the Orangina Schweppes Group and was the first non-Japanese member of the Board of Directors of Suntory Holdings. He served as President of Daler Rowney, leading British company in materials for Fine Arts, as well as member of the Board of Directors of Telepizza. His extensive international experience was developed in the Bacardi group, where he became part of the world Executive Committee and, previously, in the Martini & Rossi group. He also has extensive experience in family business management.
Thus, the TOUS Board of Directors is configured as follows:
President: Maria Alba Tous Oriol
Member and CEO: José Maria Folache Gonzalez-Parrado
Member: Rosa Tous Oriol
Member: Laura Tous Oriol
Member: Josep Mª Bosch Castias
Member: Joyeria Tous, S.A., represented by Maria Alba Tous Oriol
Member: Tous & Tous Complements, S.L.U. represented by Maria Alba Tous Oriol
Member: Andrew David Deakin
Member: Don Alain Hertach
Member: Luis Bach Terricabras (Independent)
Member: Beatriz González-Cristóbal Poyo (Independent)
Member: Mr. Ignacio de Pinedo Palomero (Independent)
Secretary – Non counsellor: Nuria Garros Ribera
The company thus secures the fulfillment of the objectives set out in its strategic plan and continues to consolidate TOUS's vision: to be the most desired and successful affordable luxury jewelry brand in the world, with a commitment to providing value to customers, collaborators and the whole of society.
