I first met Michelle as she unwaveringly worked to build Ultimo International into the UK's leading lingerie brand for the last two decades. She set out with a vision of helping women look and feel their very best. It was on that simple concept that she built her career and influence, being honoured with a Life Peerage to the House of Lords and an OBE from Her Majesty the Queen for her outstanding contributions to business.
She has come along way from the impoverished East End of Glasgow when, at the age of 15, her father fell ill and was subsequently declared paraplegic and wheelchair-bound for life. It forced Michelle to leave school without any qualifications in search of full-time employment, sparking her instinct for entrepreneurship. At the age of just 22, Michelle excelled herself becoming Head of Sales and Marketing in Scotland for the Glasgow-based Labatts Brewers. Unfortunately, she was made redundant after just two years.
In 1996, after only six weeks out of work, Michelle was at a dinner dance wearing a very uncomfortable cleavage-enhancing bra. It was here that she her her eureka moment on what the lingerie industry was missing and the world-famous Ultimo bra was born.
After the launch of Ultimo, Michelle quickly established herself as one of Scotland's finest exports, winning the World Young Business Achiever Award in 2000 at the Epcot Centre in Florida, as well as Business Woman of the Year at the Corporate Elite Awards in London. Her status as one of the leading entrepreneurs was confirmed soon after when Prince Charles invited her to join the board of Directors for The Prince's Trust.