Portmeirion Group appoints former Denby executives to leadership team

Portmeirion Group has appointed Jane Mason as UK and Europe director and Hayley Baddiley as group marketing director to support its ongoing corporate transformation strategy.

Both executives will join the global homewares company on 1 July 2026, reporting directly to group chief executive Michael Scheepers. The arrivals follow a series of senior appointments over the past year, including the promotion of Sam Pearce to chief operating officer and the hire of Victoria Brabender as the firm’s first product strategy director.

Mason joins from ceramics manufacturer Denby, where she was managing director for the UK and Ireland. She previously held senior roles as head of sales for Le Creuset UK, UK managing director for DK Household Brands, and global sales director for Craster. In her new role, she will oversee commercial activities, sales growth, and multi-channel performance across UK and European markets.

Baddiley also joins from Denby, where she spent more than a decade as global marketing director. Earlier this year, she led the high-profile “#SaveDenby” campaign following the firm filing for administration, securing over 100,000 petition signatures to trigger an upcoming parliamentary debate on energy costs for the UK ceramics industry on 6 July 2026. At Portmeirion, she will lead brand strategy for core labels including Spode, Portmeirion and Royal Worcester.

The appointments follow a recent £18.6m share placing completed by Portmeirion earlier this month, aimed at reducing debt and positioning the business for a return to growth in fiscal year 2027.

Michael Scheepers, chief executive of Portmeirion, said: “The appointments of Jane and Hayley are another important step in delivering on our exciting growth plans for 2027 and beyond. Our strengthened executive leadership team enhances our mix of skills and experience around the table, as well as bringing a fresh transparency and purpose that will be vital to successfully delivering our transformation plan in full.”

Jane Mason, UK and Europe director, added: “I’m delighted to be joining the company at this exciting moment in its journey, with a clear growth plan in place and exciting opportunities ahead. I look forward to becoming part of the team and working closely with Michael again, using my extensive sector experience to help the business achieve our ambitions.”

Hayley Baddiley, group marketing director, said: “Spode, Portmeirion and Royal Worcester all celebrate British craftsmanship and design at its best and clearly illustrate the rich portfolio of homeware brands in the Group. As the company continues to champion the UK ceramics sector, I’m looking forward to playing my part in elevating our brands on a global stage.”