Terence Conran surprises Jasper Conran by making him his heir - Telegraph
Terence Conran surprises Jasper Conran by making him his heir
Jasper Conran, the celebrated designer, has succeeded his father to become    chairman of the Conran Shop.
Jasper Conran is the recently appointed chairman of the Conran Shop Photo: CLARA MOLDEN
Tim Walker. Edited by Richard Eden
7:30AM BST 21 Sep 2012
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With three of his five children being celebrated designers, and another a leading restaurateur, Sir Terence Conran was always going to face a dilemma over who should take control of his business.
Now, the tycoon, who turns 81 next month, appears to have made his decision. Jasper Conran tells Mandrake that he was shocked when his father asked him to become the new chairman of the Conran Shop.
“It was a surprise to me when it did happen,” he says at a party to celebrate his appointment. “It’s very exciting. It was never my plan. It emerged over the last year.”
The 52-year-old fashion designer says he will stick to the successful formula established by Sir Terence for the home furnishings chain. “I won’t combine fashion and furniture,” he says. “It is not in my plans; they are two very separate things. I’ve got to take it slowly and do it right.”
Jasper, who was awarded an OBE in 2008, says his father has not offered him any advice on his chairmanship. “Nothing at all,” he says. “Do I look like I’d take it?”
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