Jasper Conran stands down as head of Conran empire

The London Evening Standard reports that Jasper stood down from his post as chairman of Conran Holdings the day after it published an interview with his father Sir Terence Conran.

Jasper (left) and Sir Terence Conran
Jasper (left) and Sir Terence Conran

It has emerged that Jasper Conran has stood down as chairman and chief creative officer of the Conran design empire, after being appointed to the post in 2014.

Documents filed at Companies House show that Jasper Conran left his post as a director of Conran Holdings on 24 September 2015.

The London Evening Standard notes that this came the day after it published an interview with Jasper’s father Sir Terence Conran, who had handed over the reins of the Conran empire in 2014.

In the interview, Sir Terence Conran was asked how Jasper reacted to taking charge of the business. He responded: “I don’t know, honestly, I don’t know.

“He never, or hardly ever, talks to me. I think my wife talks to him a lot but I got a very nice letter when I said ‘I’m leaving it to you, Jasper’, but he’s very … how do I put it — I don’t want to say something that appears negative.”

Sir Terence added: “He’s got a great sense of design but I kept on saying: ‘I’ve got the experience and knowledge, I know things you don’t. I know how to design furniture.’”

On his decision to step down, Jasper Conran says: “I have had to make a difficult yet practical decision as to how I dedicate my time going forward. For the past four years I have been juggling the demands of two highly complex full time jobs and have come to the conclusion that this is simply not sustainable for me.”

A statement from Jasper Conran’s office says that during his time as chairman of Conran Holdings he has “implemented and overseen the extensive change needed to rebuild the business” and “developed a strategy to enable the business to grow domestically and internationally in the future”.

During Jasper’s tenure, the Chelsea Marylebone and Paris branches of the Conran Shop have been refurbished, a new website has been launched and a new franchise partner has been signed to grown the company’s Japanese operation.

Sir Terence Conran stepped down as chairman of Conran Holdings, which operates the Conran + Partners design consultancy and the Conran Shop, in March 2014.

He was replaced by Jasper, who had become a non-executive director of Conran Holdings in 2009 and replaced Sir Terence as chairman of the Conran Shop in 2012.

Discover more:

• Sir Terence Conran hands over design empire to son Jasper

• Jasper Conran replaces Terence as head of the Conran Shop

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