Laings Appoints Services Director to Board

10 Oct 2023

Luxury, family-owned jewellers, Laings, has promoted Serena Gough to its UK Board.

The move comes as the company further strengthens its leadership team to drive growth as part of its wider programme of investment into bringing craftsmanship to the forefront of the business. 

Serena has been a part of the Scottish headquartered business since 2019 and heads up Laings Services and Laings Bespoke departments spanning each of the six showrooms located across the UK. Her appointment to the board comes in recognition of her significant contribution to the business and her depth of passion, knowledge and understanding of the jewellery and luxury watch industry. 

Serena’s promotion underpins Laings’ continued commitment to providing client service excellence through its exceptional expertise in both jewellery and watchmaking, once more bolstering its bricks-and-mortar presence and elevating its customer experience by taking ownership of every part of the client journey. 

Serena’s new role comes amid Laings unveiling a suite of state-of-the-art workshops across the estate, the upcoming opening of a stunning new home in Glasgow and an expansive relocated showroom in Southampton. 

Stuart McDowell, Managing Director at Laings, said,

“Serena has been a tremendous asset to Laings for over four years, working as an integral part of the expansion of our Services and Bespoke departments and the development of our workshops. We’re thrilled to welcome Serena to our UK board of directors and we’re looking forward to her focusing on her roots in a watchmaking and bringing her extensive knowledge and skills to her new role.”

Serena Gough added,

“The transformation and growth in our Services and Bespoke business in recent years achieved by growing our team of highly skilled watchmakers and goldsmiths, shows how committed Laings is to further our integrity to our clients and embracing our responsibility to educate and improve our industry. 

“A lot of time has passed since Laings was founded in 1840, when the company was very much a jewellers based on the skills of clockmaking, watchmaking and goldsmithing. I’m looking forward to the opening of our state-of-the-art workshops, new fantastic showrooms and facilities, and for us to return to the original Laings vision of what a jeweller is at its roots, with craftsmanship and skills in the limelight. For our teams to be able to share this with our clients and us take ownership of the quality synonymous with our brand is truly a privilege to be a part of.

“I look forward to continuing to work alongside our incredibly talented team in my new role, with a shared love for skill and learning, we are all focused on delivering excellence in both the jewellery we create and services we provide whilst inspiring and nurturing the next generation of talent to grow within our industry.”

Laings is also introducing new apprenticeships within the business, growing opportunities in the UK in geographical areas where skills can be revived and new talent nurtured in fantastic careers that are rarely available. 

A wider recruitment programme to appoint specialists into various roles, including watchmakers, goldsmiths, designers and apprentices, will take place throughout the coming years, in line with the business's investment of its workshops.

Q&A, Serena Gough, Laings Director of Services

What has your experience at Laings been like so far, and how will you use previous experience to guide you into this new position?

"It takes a very special business to understand the potential that Services, Workshops and that of the talented people that they have within them. To not just understand that but invest too is one that is infinitely more special. I believe we are entering a new era with so much potential and I’m truly grateful to be a part of that.

"With a vast experience in the industry, my knowledge and understanding of incredible timepieces and fine jewellery plays an important part of my every day at Laings. The special pieces that we handle in the workshop are crafted from complex mechanisms, are family heirlooms and hold significant sentimental value. The most important thing that I can ensure is the longevity of the sentiment, beauty and artistry behind each piece." 

Have there been any standout achievements in your career so far that you believe have led to this advancement?

"I would say that my standout achievements really lie with Laings, due to their unwavering support of craft. The transformation and growth that I have led across our Services business in recent years has greatly increased the Services contribution to the overall business. 

"Growing our team of highly skilled Watchmakers, Goldsmiths and Designers shows Laings investment in the pillars of our business and embraces our responsibility to educate and improve the health of the industry keeps our customer’s dreams and memories alive." 

What does your future vision of Laings look like in this new position as board director? Will Laings' growth strategy change as a result?

"Our long-term goal is to build our brand and it’s values of quality, expertise and dedication. To create an environment with like-minded people where they can hone their skills, working at an extremely high level, share knowledge, expertise and skill, passing this on to the next generation. 

"Geographically, our location is so important. We want to open doors and bring opportunities to people that didn’t exist before. We’re reigniting crafts in different areas and bringing back this presence in amazing cities in the UK, leaving our mark and having an impact that will be seen for generations to come. The knowledge that we learn has a domino effect and each generation will add more and more, only allowing us to get better and better. It’s about us bringing back that expertise." 

What prospects are you looking forward to and are there any challenges you hope to overcome? 

"I’m looking forward to the opening of our fantastic new facilities across the estate and shining a light on the heart of the industry. I look forward to continuing to work with our incredible team and watch them grow. 

"The workshops are all about the people; that’s what makes them special. Not only do we have these state-of-the-art spaces we also have passionate people who share a vision and one common goal. The love for skill, the love for learning, the love for this continuous quest for perfection. We are all on this path together and that is what makes it unique. The challenge we all face is inspiring the next generation of talent to grow our future and invite them into a fantastic career."

What is something new you think you will bring to the board as director?

"It isn’t perhaps something new, but I feel my passion for craft will be integral to the continued growth of the Services Department. I understand that the biggest thing we want to achieve from a client is their trust. I know how important it is for clients to feel that their treasured pieces are safe in our hands. It is an emotional process to be parting with something you care about and with every customer, I know our team will care about them emotionally as much as they care about the item."

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Source: Laings