CLEANING toilets and selling paraffin isn’t the usual path to becoming a CEO.
But that was the route for Neil Clifford, who has been the boss of British shoe and handbag brand Kurt Geiger for the past 22 years.
Portsmouth-born Mr Clifford left school with one O-level in Art in 1983 before working in a Fiat garage, cleaning loos, selling paraffin and cutting keys to raise cash to buy a keyboard for his band.
His career in fashion only started after a friend convinced him to get a job in the local Debenhams.
He was later inspired by a conversation with Sir Ralph Halpern, the flamboyant “five-times-a-night” boss of Burton Group, who encouraged his move to London.
Mr Clifford is now making it the Kurt Geiger mission to get young adults not in college or university to get training in its academy, which he set up in the London office two years ago after being buoyed by the reaction to its charity initiatives during Covid.
It now puts five per cent of its profits into its foundation for young people — equivalent to £2million last year.
Kurt Geiger is currently training 30 students in the full retail process — from designing shoes and its iconic handbags to finance and marketing — and hopes to expand to 60 students in September.
It will soon launch full apprenticeships and has already taken on eight of last year’s 21 students.
Kurt Geiger was founded by an Austrian who fled the Nazis and opened its first store in Bond Street in 1963.
And now, for once, it is a British brand that has cracked America — rather than flopping.
Mr Clifford said: “I think we’re something different, exotic, a British brand.
"Our quality is very good and at $250 we are cheaper than some of the other brands.”
The shoes and bags are in 400 department stores in the US, and the firm has plans for nine standalone shops there and in Mexico.
On Donald Trump, Mr Clifford said: “I don’t think there will be tariffs like the 10 to 20 per cent for the UK. But Trump is very clever, I’m sure he’ll figure out that it wouldn’t be productive.”
Success in America is even more pressing after the Budget, which he said had created cost difficulties
Mr Clifford told Sun Business: “We have many opportunities internationally so it’s unlikely we’ll open many more stores in the UK.”
Kurt Geiger has already passed through four different buyout owners and was last year reported to be up for sale by private equity firm Cinven.
Mr Clifford, who has seen the company’s earnings grow from £4million to £41million under the various owners, smiled as we were leaving and said: “We’re always for sale. So if you know of anyone with 400million quid…”
FRIDAY nights appear to be back in fashion for the owner of Mecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casino — after it reported an upturn in fortunes.
The gambling firm Rank Group yesterday toasted a 11 per cent jump in revenues to £401.8 million for the last six months — while its profits went up from £16.2million to £40.2million.
Boss John O’Reilly said more friends were turning to bingo as an affordable night out.
FEVER-TREE shares were sent fizzing yesterday after beer giant Molson Coors took a stake and revealed a tie-up with the tonic maker.
They jumped by as much as 21 per cent after it emerged the maker of Coors Lite and Blue Moon beer in the US and Aspall cider in the UK had agreed a long-term partnership.
Molson Coors’ 8.5 per cent makes it the second biggest investor.
The move will boost Fever-Tree in the US, where the popularity of its tonics and ginger increased its sales by nine per cent to £128 million last year.
Fever-Tree will now receive royalty guarantees from Molson Coors, which is buying the operating arm for £20million.
Fever-Tree CEO Tim Warrillow said: “Today’s announcement marks a transformational step for the Fever-Tree brand in the US. Molson Coors are the ideal long-term partner to take the Fever-Tree brand to the next level across the US.”
LUXURY handbag maker Mulberry plans to switch its focus from China to Britain to try to revive its fortunes.
The loss-making brand yesterday posted a hefty 18.3 per cent slide in revenues in the last quarter of 2024.
Boss Andrea Baldo said the Somerset-based firm had “lost so much business” in the UK where it would reopen shops while shutting others in Asia.
He said Mulberry needed to be “simplified, including re- prioritising the UK”.
It recently fended off a takeover bid by Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group.
REVENUE at telecoms giant BT slowed as tough trading outside the UK and lower handset sales offset a boost from price hikes and growth in its ultra-fast network.
It posted a 3 per cent drop to £5.2billion for the final three months last year, missing forecasts.
SHELL yesterday bumped up rewards for shareholders as its boss admitted it is still exploring a New York listing.
The FTSE 100 energy giant boosted its dividend by 4 per cent and unveiled a £2.8billion share buyback despite earnings falling from £22.8billion to £19.1billion.
It is set to benefit from the Trump pro-oil and gas agenda as it tries to lift its value closer to US peers, such as Exxonmobil.
CEO Wael Sawan said it was always reviewing its London HQ and listing, but “there is no live discussion.”
