West Ham United Chairman David Sullivan has led the tributes to Jacqueline Gold CBE, who tragically passed away on Thursday at the age of just 62.
The Ann Summers Executive Chair and daughter of our late, beloved Joint-Chairman David Gold passed away following a courageous seven-year battle against breast cancer, just two months after her father’s sad loss.
David Sullivan said: “On behalf of everyone at West Ham United, I wish to express our sincere condolences and sadness following the tragic news of Jacqueline’s passing yesterday.
“Jacqueline was a truly wonderful and inspirational woman who gave such great support to her father David during his 13 years as Joint-Chairman alongside me. She was always a friendly and welcome face in the Director’s Box at matches, and hugely respected by everyone as a hugely successful and brilliant businesswoman in her own right.
“It was clear to see last month - when we said goodbye to David – just how incredibly close Jacqueline and her family were, and for Dan, Scarlett, Vanessa and Nick to suffer this loss so soon is a tragedy beyond words. We send them our love and kindest wishes at this most difficult time, and will always remember Jacqueline with the greatest affection.”
West Ham United Vice-Chairman Baroness Brady added: “Jacqueline was an incredible woman who I admired so very much. She was a trailblazer and a woman of integrity, charm and vision. She was, so deservedly, awarded a CBE for services to entrepreneurship, women in business and social enterprise. She was a woman's woman, championing women in business throughout her 40-year career.
“Made very much in her late father’s mould, in terms of her talent, business acumen and also her huge heart and empathetic nature, Jaqueline was loved, respected and admired by all who met her.
“It is so unspeakably sad to lose someone so vibrant, young and who did so much and was loved by everyone who knew her – her work on behalf of other women means her wonderful legacy will always live on.”
In her remarkable career at Ann Summers, Jacqueline was renowned for managing a business run by women, for women. Jacqueline was an activist for women in business, championed female entrepreneurs and, through sharing her own experiences, aimed to better the working environment for women. Her attitude towards female empowerment and gender equality inspired countless generations of women to pursue their dreams and celebrate their successes, not least her 13-year-old daughter, Scarlett.
From an internship at Ann Summers to Chief Executive Officer in less than ten years, her determination and commitment to creating a unique retail offering led to the creation of a multi-channel retail chain, with retail stores, direct sales ambassadors and a growing online and third-party business. It was her vision and creativity that saw Ann Summers grow from an unknown brand to a British household name and stable of the British high street.
In recognition of Jacqueline’s significant achievements during her 40-year career, she was awarded a CBE in the 2016 New Year Honours for services to Entrepreneurship, Women in Business and Social Enterprise. It is this moment in her career that she described as her proudest. Jacqueline’s other honours included Retail Week’s Most Powerful Woman in Business, Barclays Bank’s Most Inspirational Businesswoman in the UK and numerous awards from publications including Cosmopolitan, Esquire and Good Housekeeping. In October 2012 Jacqueline was named most Inspirational Celebrity at the Inspirational Women Awards and in 2019 she was awarded Retail Week’s inaugural Retail Activist Award.
It was just a matter of weeks ago that Jacqueline stood proudly alongside her family at London Stadium to lead an emotional and fitting send-off in honour of her dear father, whom she described as ‘the man who taught us just how much it means to be a part of the West Ham family.’
It is with profound sadness that we again mourn the loss of a truly special member of our family…