Gem Distribution has appointed Joanne Gilman as its UK Design Manager.
The appointment of Ms Gilman follows the company’s launch of its Design and Sourcing division earlier this month, which replaced its Exspect brand.
The new division is claimed to offer the company’s retail partners products that have differentiation in design and quality by utilising facilities in the Far East.
Gem claimed that it would be able to do this as it benefited from being able to source and manufacture any type of product direct from its Asian counterpart, which already housed an experienced and professional team.
This will continue to be headed up by Mike Sanderson as General Manager, following his experience with the own brands Gem has already placed into retail such as Icons, PWN and Exspect, plus license agreements with the likes Ministry of Sound, Moshi Monsters and Hed Kandi.
Ms Gilman will work alongside Sanderson and report into Gem’s Head of Business Development, Philip Munro.
Mr Sanderson said: “By creating the GDS Division of Gem and hiring Jo with her experience in this area, we now have an umbrella for all our in-house brands, including Exspect, which remains one of our core strategies, but will now sit under GDS.”
He added Jo would offer retail and products with a point of difference, which he hoped would drive better margins for the company.
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