2008 First Woman of Retail & Consumer
Kelly Hoppen
Kelly Hoppen isn`t just a business woman, she`s a brand in her own right. She first dabbled with interior design at the tender age of 16. Over the past three decades she has built an £18m-turnover empire spanning design, books, furniture and bespoke high street collections. Her unique blend of Western and Asian design influences have landed her the label, "Queen of Taupe" and she`s stamped this signature style across the globe, from hotels to yachts to the apartments of the rich and famous. Next time you fly British Airways first class, look around: Hoppen designed the cabins. These projects cost between £500,000 to £8m a pop, but Hoppen still has a waiting list of 4,000 clients clamouring for her attention. She`s managed to build her sprawling business without a penny of outside investment and retains 100 per cent equity in the business. But what next for the 48-year old? A trade sale perhaps, ""I want to be able to take a two-week holiday without feeling guilty about it," she laughs.
2008 Shortlist
Jenelle Tilling, vice president of marketing, KFC UK
Glenys Berd, managing director, Love Those Shoes
Sharon Kaur, managing director, Sahara Homes
Eileen Cavalier, CEO, London College of Beauty Therapy
