Emma Hill (pictured), the daughter of the founder of jewelry chain Michael Hill International, has announced she will retire from the role on June 28, the end of the current financial year.
Emma Hill has served as the company’s board chair for the past six years, following her father, the chain’s namesake. She will remain on its board as a non-executive director. Emma Hill has worked for Michael Hill for over 30 years and served as retail general manager of its successful expansion into Canada in 2002.
Emma Hill became a director in February 2007 and was appointed deputy chair in 2011. She also provided half the name (along with her mom) for the company’s discontinued charm line, Emma & Roe.
Rob Fyfe, the former CEO of Air New Zealand, has been appointed the new chair of Michael Hill, which is traded on the Australian and New Zealand stock exchanges. Fyfe is given credit for Air New Zealand’s turnaround, according to a statement from Michael Hill. He has been on the company’s board for the past seven years.
Fyfe also served as CEO and then chair of Icebreaker, a New Zealand–based fashion brand. He currently serves as a director of Air Canada.
CEO Daniel Bracken, who has headed the company since 2018, will also join the board as managing director.
Brisbane, Australia–based Michael Hill has 280 stores in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. In 2008, it tried to set up a U.S. division, and at one point had 17 stores in America. But after a decade of subpar results, it left the market and closed its remaining fleet of nine stores in 2018.
Said Emma Hill in a statement: “The time is right for this transition. The company has never been in a healthier position. Our CEO Daniel is delivering exceptional results across our transformation program.”
(Photo courtesy of Michael Hill International)
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