Dermott Rowan

Dermott Rowan is the managing director and co-owner of Kiely Rowan Plc, the company that owns the fashion brands Orla Kiely and Olive & Orange. His wife Orla Kiely started the brand in the early nineties as a women’s bag designer.

Rowan was born in south Dublin, Ireland.^[1] He attended Clongowes Wood College in Kildare and graduated from the University of Cape Town in South Africa.

He worked as a financial controller before in 1997 he formed the Orla Kiely Partnership with Kiely, which became Kiely Rowan Plc. in 2004.^[2][3] Rowan is responsible for international business negotiations for the company,^[2] and the supply of the 550 US stockists.^[1] His focussed on the Japanese market, following the lead of Paul Smith.^[4] He has been turning down offers to buy the company since at least 2005.^[4] With Kiely he won the UK Fashion Exporter's Exporter of the Year Award 2008.^[5] In 2009 he was a finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards International category.^[6] He lectures on international brand building and export strategy at colleges in the UK in addition to being a regular guest speaker to the UK Fashion Exports, the Japan Institute and the Entrepreneurs Club of Hong Kong.^[7]

In 2011 Rowan was appointed to sit on the Board for the Crafts Council of Ireland

He and Kiely live in Clapham with their two sons.^{[2] [3]}

References

1. ^ ^{a b} O'Clery, Cathy (28 June 2008). "In the bag". The Irish Times. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/magazine/2008/0628/1214516640587.html. Retrieved 6 July 2010. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Walshe, Barbara (February 2008). "Orla Kiely: The Irish Charm". Coutts Woman. http://www.couttswoman.com/2008/february/features/orla-kiely.asp. Retrieved 6 July 2010. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Emling, Shelly (6 June 2009). "A Designer's Gift for Understatement". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/business/global/06spot.html. Retrieved 6 July 2010. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "HSBC to pay for business owners to learn from international mentors". Daily Telegraph. 10 May 2010. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/yourbusiness/7704825/HSBC-to-pay-for-business-owners-to-learn-from-international-mentors.html. Retrieved 6 July 2010. 
5. ^ Bumpus, Jessica (28 July 2008). "Kiely's Big Plans". Vogue. http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/daily/080728-orla-kielys-expansion-plans.aspx. Retrieved 6 July 2010. 
6. ^ "Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year". RTE Television. http://www.rte.ie/tv/programmes/ernst_and_young_entrepreneur_of_the_year.html. Retrieved 6 July 2010. 
7. ^ "Past Speakers". The Enterpreneurs Club. http://www.entrepreneurs.com.hk/index.php?s=speakers. Retrieved 6 July 2010. 

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