After 26 years in the family business, Nadja Swarovski, the public face of the Austrian crystal giant, Swarovski International Holding, stepped down from the company at the end of December. Nadja Swarovski was the 126-year-old company’s first female member to the executive board when she joined in 1995. Swarovski was founded in 1895 by Daniel Swarovski in Wattens, Austria, and has historically been run by his descendents. The previous two years have seen a vigorous management reorganisation including a slew of layoffs and high-profile departures, including the resignation of fellow board member (and cousin), Robert Buchbauer who was CEO at the time.
Nadja Swarovski established the Atelier Swarovski brand, and collaborated with luxury leaders such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Karl Lagerfeld and Viktor & Rolf. She will remain involved in the Swarovski Foundation, which she set up in 2013. “My time at the Swarovski company has been the most rewarding journey— what started with creativity and design has culminated in human empowerment and sustainability, and using Swarovski’s platform to support the environment and the community has been the greatest privilege of my career,” she said.
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