Jewellery Focus JFOC September 2017 digital | Page 3

EDITOR’S LETTER
CONTRIBUTORS
Seeking clarity
CONTRIBUTORS
ANNA EMMETT
Anna Emmett is
the co-founder of
fine jewellery brand
Henryka which
was established in
2006. The company
recently joined the
Company of Master
Jewellers
MICHAEL
ALDRIDGE
Michael is the
chairman of the
Company of
Master Jewellers
and was appointed
in June 2017. He
has run the Neil &
Barker jewellery
shop in Widnes
since 1984
JANET FITCH
Janet is a veteran
JF columnist, and
has written for
both magazines
and newspapers
including the Sun
and the Daily Mail,
later owning her
own jewellery
shops
LEONARD ZELL
Leonard has
been training fine
jewellers for 25
years. His monthly
column gives
some top tips on
sales training and
improving your
bottom line
ON THE
COVER
FEATURE
MICHAEL NORTHCOTT
Editor, Jewellery Focus
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WHAT
NEXT FOR
THE CMJ?
BACK TO SCHOOL
Jewellers tell us what new skills they
would learn with another chance at school
YOUTUBE
JEWELLERS
Michael Aldridge
answers pressing
questions about
the future of the
buying group
Self-taught jewellers tell all about
learning their craft online
UPCOMING
SHOWCASES
Michael Aldridge
page 19
The Company of Master Jewellers, I am assured,
is soon to turn a corner. It has been extremely
difficult to secure concrete answers to some of
the questions that have been swirling around
the corridors of the jewellery industry this last
month, and indeed to establish what exactly the
top brass think they are ‘cornering’ away from.
In truth, not all of the key questions have been
answered, despite my best efforts. But with
our major feature analysing departed chief executive Willie Hamilton’s
legacy, and chairman Michael Aldridge’s thoughts on the future direction
of the buying group, we are at least closer to understanding what all the
whispers amount to.
What we do know though, is that in organisations, sound corporate
governance is clearly sometimes difficult to exercise. A large bonus
payment was unilaterally authorised to an unnamed member of the CMJ
management team without a rubber stamp from the board of directors
– so Aldridge tells me – and while this may have been legal, it certainly
doesn’t look good, especially when the CMJ maintains a shroud of
secrecy around who the lucky recipient was. Admitting something took
place is not the same as accounting properly for it, but at least the CMJ
is allowing some information to make its way into the public domain.
In any case, it is in everyone’s interests that the CMJ moves forward
as a thriving, successful organisation delivering benefits for its
stakeholders as it was set up to do. Aldridge explained to me that
“transparency” will be his watchword as he establishes a “refocusing”
of the business on its core activity – being a buying group. Let’s hope
Aldridge delivers on his promises – the jewellery industry is better off
for organisations which successfully boost trade and orders, and in a
retail landscape that remains tough, we need buying groups and their
members to be celebrating as much growth as possible.
Let us update you with
industry news while you
drink your morning coffee
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14
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