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MATCHESFASHION appoints Amazon VP as its new CEO

Lauretta Roberts
11 February 2020

MATCHESFASHION, the multichannel luxury retailer, has appointed Ajay Kavan as CEO. Currently vice president international special projects at Amazon, he will join the London-based business on 19 March.

During his time at Amazon, Kavan led several initiatives to improve the Amazon customer experience globally. In addition to driving core Amazon businesses like UK and EU Consumables, Kavan led the development of several global strategic initiatives, launched businesses like Amazon Fresh in the EU and Japan, and built key strategic partnerships including with Morrisons in the UK. 

His career in retail spans 25 years and has helped build multi-channel businesses in the UK and Asia. He is also Deputy Chairman of In Kind Direct, a charity founded by the Prince of Wales, and has been on its board since 2012.

Kavan replaced Ulric Jerome who left Matchesfashion.com last August having been with the business for six years, four of which as CEO. 

Ajay Kavan

“I am thrilled to be joining this very exciting and digitally innovative luxury lifestyle brand. I am looking forward to working with the talented team at MATCHESFASHION to continue to improve the business for our global customers, to help scale the business and make MATCHESFASHION a place in which we all feel proud to work," Kavan said of his appointment.

Gabriele Cipparrone, Partner at Apax Partners, the majority owner of the business, and member of the Board of Directors, said: “We are delighted to welcome Ajay to MATCHESFASHION as the new CEO. Ajay’s extensive experience in e-commerce will be of great benefit to the business as it continues to innovate and expand in the luxury e-commerce space. Apax and the MATCHESFASHION team are looking forward to working with Ajay over the coming years and benefiting from his strategic insights and considerable experience.” 

MATCHESDFASHION began life as a single store in Wimbledon 30 years ago and grew to become a global force in luxury fashion with stores in upscale London neighbourhoods, a global website and an interactive personal shopping and event space at 5 Carlos Place in Mayfair. Its founders Tom and Ruth Chapman, who sold the business to APAX at the end of 2017 for a reported £800m, were named OBEs in the New Year's Honours List.

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