Ray Kelvin

{{short description|Founder and former chief executive of Ted Baker}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Ray Kelvin

| honorific_suffix = CBE

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| birth_name = Raymond Stuart Kelvin

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|12|11|df=yes}}

| birth_place = London, England

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| education = JFS

| occupation = Businessman

| known for = Founder and former chief executive of Ted Baker

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| spouse = {{plainlist|

{{marriage|Georgia Slowe|1993|2000|end=div.}}
{{marriage|Clare Kelvin|2012}}

}}

| children = 3

}}

Raymond Stuart Kelvin CBE (born on 11 December 1955{{cite web|url=http://www.opencompany.co.uk/company/03392245/ted-baker-trustees-limited|title=Ted Baker Trustees Limited – Company Profile – Endole|website=www.opencompany.co.uk|accessdate=3 December 2018}} in north London){{Cite news |url=https://thecollection.sbe.com/creators/ray-kelvin-cbe |title=Ray Kelvin Cbe |date=10 June 2015 |work=The Collection |access-date=2 December 2018}} is the founder and former chief executive of the retail clothing company Ted Baker.{{Cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/10376240/Ted-Baker-chief-Ray-Kelvin-is-as-unique-as-his-brand.html |title=Ted Baker chief Ray Kelvin is as unique as his brand |last=Ruddick |first=Graham |date=14 October 2013 |work=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=2 December 2018}} He started working in his uncle's menswear shop in Enfield at the age of eleven{{cite news |url= https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/companies/article/business-big-shot-ray-kelvin-of-ted-baker-f8v0n8pnhtb |title=Business big shot: Ray Kelvin of Ted Baker|work=The Times |author= Hawkes, Steve; Ahmed, Murad|date = 11 June 2008 |access-date=26 April 2021}} and founded the Ted Baker brand in 1988 when he opened a shop specialising in men's shirts in Glasgow.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/15360421.WEDNESDAY_BOSS__Ted_Baker_founder_tells_why_he_invested___80m_in_Bournemouth_____and_why_everyone_has_to_hug_him/ |title=Ted Baker founder Ray Kelvin tells why he invested £80m in Bournemouth |last=Slade |first=Darren |date=21 June 2017 |work=Daily Echo|location=Bournemouth |accessdate=30 September 2018}}

Early life and education

Kelvin, who is Jewish,{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/dec/01/advertising.business |title=How to get ahead in advertising – at no cost |last=Ryle |first=Sarah |date=1 December 2002 |work=The Observer |accessdate=30 September 2018}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-jewish-chronicle/20110617/283918814457888 |title=...And we make it rock. |date=7 June 2011 |work=The Jewish Chronicle |accessdate=30 September 2018}} grew up in Edmonton, north London, and was educated at JFS.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/will-the-real-ted-baker-step-forward-1.20550 |title=Will the real Ted Baker step forward |last=Dysch |first=Marcus |date=13 January 2011 |work=The Jewish Chronicle |accessdate=30 September 2018}}

Awards

Kelvin was awarded an honorary doctorate in business administration from the University of Bath in 2007.{{Cite press release |title=Day two of summer degree ceremonies |date=27 June 2007 |publisher=University of Bath |location=Bath, Somerset |url=http://www.bath.ac.uk/news/2007/6/27/graduation07-wednesday2.html |accessdate=1 October 2018}} In the 2011 New Year Honours, he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to the fashion industry.{{London Gazette |issue=59647 |date=31 December 2010 |page=8 |supp=y }}

Personal life

Kelvin was married for six years to actress Georgia Slowe before splitting up in 1999 and divorcing in 2000. They have two sons. In March 2012, Kelvin married his second wife, Clare (formerly Clare Kavanagh), {{cite news | url=https://www.standard.co.uk/business/business-news/ted-baker-boss-can-go-up-the-aisle-in-style-7579591.html | title=Ted Baker boss can go up the aisle in style | work=Evening Standard | date=21 March 2012 | accessdate=17 November 2012 | author=Goodway, Nick}} with whom he has a daughter.{{Cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/dec/07/ted-bakers-ray-kelvin-i-can-be-hard-work-when-i-need-to-be|title=Ted Baker's Ray Kelvin: 'I can be hard work when I need to be' |last=Butler |first=Sarah |date=7 December 2018 |work=The Guardian |access-date=9 April 2019}}

In his spare time he enjoys fly fishing.{{Cite news |url=http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG9541067/Ray-Kelvin-Would-the-real-Ted-Baker-please-stand-up.html |title=Ray Kelvin: Would the real Ted Baker please stand up? |last=Wyn Davies |first=Gareth |date=13 September 2012 |work=The Daily Telegraph |accessdate=30 September 2018}}

Harassment allegations

A former employee created a petition in 2018 that received 2,000 signatures to put an end to his hugs and allegedly inappropriate activities with staff, as a result of an unconfirmed lack of support from Ted Baker's HR department.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46417578 |title=Ted Baker staff launch petition over 'forced hugging' |date=2 December 2018 |work=BBC News |access-date=2 December 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://platform.organise.org.uk/campaigns/ted-baker-petition|title=Scrap the forced 'hugs' and end harassment at Ted Baker|website=platform.organise.org.uk|access-date=30 November 2018}} On 7 December 2018, it was announced that Kelvin would be taking voluntary leave of absence from the company.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46489021 |title=Ted Baker boss takes leave of absence |date=7 December 2018 |work=BBC News |access-date=7 December 2018}} On 4 March 2019, following an internal independent committee investigation, it was announced that Kelvin had resigned and would be leaving Ted Baker with immediate effect.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47438641 |title=Ted Baker founder Ray Kelvin resigns amid hugging row |date=4 March 2019 |work=BBC News |access-date=4 March 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/mar/04/ted-baker-boss-ray-kelvin-quits|work=The Guardian|title=Ted Baker boss Ray Kelvin quits after 'forced hugging' claims|first=Julia|last=Kollewe|date=4 March 2019|access-date=4 March 2019}} Mr Kelvin came back to the firm on an advisory basis about a year after the "forced hugging" scandal.