Michelle Mone OBE
Michelle Mone OBE, is the co-owner of MJM International and creator of Ultimo, the UK’s leading designer lingerie brand. Listed as one of the top three female entrepreneurs in the UK and recognised by the Queen with an OBE honour, Michelle has built a hugely successful career on an incredibly simple concept: giving today’s women what they want.
Highly
Successful
Entrepreneur
and
Marketer
Entrepreneurial spirit was prevalent from an early age in Michelle, who grew up in the east end of Glasgow. Michelle left school at 15 with no qualifications to find full-time employment, after her father was struck down by an illness leaving him confined to a wheelchair. To support her family Michelle took on a job at Labatt Brewers’ and quickly climbed the ranks from office junior to senior manager, running the Sales & Marketing team by the time she was just 20 years old.
But it was in 1996 when her idea for Ultimo was born. Whilst attending a dinner dance with her husband Michael, Michelle was wearing a very uncomfortable cleavage-enhancing bra and as a result had a ‘light bulb’ moment; Michelle decided to invent a bra that was more comfortable and cleavage-enhancing than any other bra on the market. MJM International was set up in November 1996.
Since launching the business Michelle has established herself as one of Scotland’s biggest exports; in 2000 Michelle won the ‘World Young Business Achiever Award’ at the Epcot Centre, Florida, and then ‘Business Woman of the Year’ at the Corporate Elite Awards in London.
In 2001 Prince Charles invited Michelle to join the Board of Directors for The Princes Scottish Youth Business Trust and more recently his Board of Main Council, confirming her status as one of the UK’s leading female entrepreneurs. Michelle also won ‘Best Newcomer’ at the British Apparel Export Awards, presented by HRH the Princess Royal, adding to her long list of awards, accolades and recognitions.
In October 2005 Michelle attended a speaking engagement with former US president Bill Clinton and Mikhail Gorbachev, and went on to support the Sultan of Oman in setting up women’s enterprise in the Middle East. Michelle has since become a high-profile guest at speaking engagements and corporate events all over the world.
Over the years Michelle’s business has gone from strength-to-strength, developing beyond the original umbrella of Ultimo to encompass eleven patented “Miracle” inventions and brands. In addition to its jointly owned brands, MJM International currently supply Selfridges, Tesco, Debenhams, Asda, Next, Figleaves and Asos.com, along with a number of independent lingerie stores throughout Europe. Michelle has also recently expanded into womens wear with Ultimo Couture, a line of luxury evening dresses, and bridal wear with Ultimo Couture Bridal, a collection of ‘off the rail’ wedding dresses exclusive to Debenhams.
Michelle has also become a popular media personality having appeared on the likes BBC’s Comic Relief Does the Apprentice, 71 Degrees North and this autumn will appear on Celebrity MasterChef.
But it was in 1996 when her idea for Ultimo was born. Whilst attending a dinner dance with her husband Michael, Michelle was wearing a very uncomfortable cleavage-enhancing bra and as a result had a ‘light bulb’ moment; Michelle decided to invent a bra that was more comfortable and cleavage-enhancing than any other bra on the market. MJM International was set up in November 1996.
Since launching the business Michelle has established herself as one of Scotland’s biggest exports; in 2000 Michelle won the ‘World Young Business Achiever Award’ at the Epcot Centre, Florida, and then ‘Business Woman of the Year’ at the Corporate Elite Awards in London.
In 2001 Prince Charles invited Michelle to join the Board of Directors for The Princes Scottish Youth Business Trust and more recently his Board of Main Council, confirming her status as one of the UK’s leading female entrepreneurs. Michelle also won ‘Best Newcomer’ at the British Apparel Export Awards, presented by HRH the Princess Royal, adding to her long list of awards, accolades and recognitions.
In October 2005 Michelle attended a speaking engagement with former US president Bill Clinton and Mikhail Gorbachev, and went on to support the Sultan of Oman in setting up women’s enterprise in the Middle East. Michelle has since become a high-profile guest at speaking engagements and corporate events all over the world.
Over the years Michelle’s business has gone from strength-to-strength, developing beyond the original umbrella of Ultimo to encompass eleven patented “Miracle” inventions and brands. In addition to its jointly owned brands, MJM International currently supply Selfridges, Tesco, Debenhams, Asda, Next, Figleaves and Asos.com, along with a number of independent lingerie stores throughout Europe. Michelle has also recently expanded into womens wear with Ultimo Couture, a line of luxury evening dresses, and bridal wear with Ultimo Couture Bridal, a collection of ‘off the rail’ wedding dresses exclusive to Debenhams.
Michelle has also become a popular media personality having appeared on the likes BBC’s Comic Relief Does the Apprentice, 71 Degrees North and this autumn will appear on Celebrity MasterChef.
