Jacqueline Gold

One of the UK’s most influential business women, Jacqueline Gold is the CEO of Ann Summers and Knickerbox, a business venture which has seen her make The Sunday Times Rich List for 2019. Renowned for her empowering approach to business, Gold has set about proving that entrepreneurialism knows no gender, and instills the same belief in her audiences as a keynote and after dinner speaker. Whether her unrivalled company success is something you want to replicate, or her formidable career is a journey your guests need to hear, Gold is the ideal addition to any occasion.

Acquiring the Ann Summers chain in 1972, Gold’s inspired business move into at home parties saw her introduce the Ann Summers Party Plan into the fold, a first of its kind in the country. An instant success, the ‘no men allowed’ parties allowed women to explore the topic of sex and purchase sex toys from the comfort of their home, revolutionising the marketing of such items. Credited for creating a business run by women for women, Ann Summers now has 138 UK stores, over seven thousand party planners and three major purchase channels thanks to Gold’s business prowess. In 2000, Ann Summers took over Knickerbox, further adding to Gold’s influential business portfolio.

Sharing her experiences as a female boss, Gold released her autobiography ‘Good Vibrations’ in 1995 and regularly contributes as a columnist to leading publications. As an inspirational female role model, Gold has been the subject of a number of documentaries including ‘Ann Summers Uncovered’ and she appeared on ‘The Apprentice’ celebrity edition in the winning team. Currently, Gold is dedicated to her organisation WOW Championing Working Women, which supports the achievements of other women in business and empowers females to embark on careers in what are perceived as male industries.

For her unparalleled career success, Gold has been named as Retail Weeks Most Powerful Woman in Business, Britain’s Most Powerful Woman by three publications and Business Communicator of the Year 2004. At events, Gold explores her award winning career with audiences, offering entertaining anecdotes about the trials and errors she faced in making it to the top, and as a keynote speaker encourages aspiring entrepreneurs with her practical advice for the industry.