The Company of Master Jewellers held its first ever Supplier Member Conference in Warwickshire on 5 June 2024, with attendees coming away with great praise for the event.
The one-day conference, which was free for supplier members to attend, opened with a business update and live Q&A session in the morning followed by an afternoon of team-building adventure activities.
Emmet Cummins, managing director of the Company of Master Jewellers, said: “Our fundamental purpose is to facilitate trade between retailers and suppliers as we believe that the independent jeweller is an integral part of the socio-economic equilibrium. The aim of our Supplier Conference was to share our plans on how we will continue to support and develop suppliers’ businesses, and also to give our supplier members the opportunity to air how they believe we can work collaboratively for the benefit of the whole group.”
The conference also gave suppliers the chance to discuss the Company of Master Jewellers’ latest initiative, CMJ Pay, whereby full retail members will receive monetary credit that they can only spend with suppliers over the Trade Event weekend.
A new initiative to encourage show attendance
After hearing more about how CMJ Pay will work, Adryan Cresswell, head of commerce at Hot Diamonds, said: “At Hot Diamonds, we believe the Company of Master Jewellers’ decisive and positive plans for its Autumn show are a game changer for member attendance.”
Lisa Davies, Ntinga’s sales director, was equally positive about CMJ Pay, adding: “I am eagerly anticipating the Autumn Trade Event and the exciting, innovative plans that will be implemented.”
Suppliers praised the event for giving them the opportunity to be updated on the Company of Master Jewellers’ plans for growth while being able to network with fellow suppliers in an informal setting, with one describing the day as “insightful” and “informative”.
Lee Campbell, key accounts/sales manager at HS Walsh, said: “It was a fantastic day all round, with a very useful and informative presentation and Q&A session with Emmet, Michael [Aldridge, Chairman] and the Board, followed by a brilliant afternoon of go-karting, axe throwing, clay pigeon shooting and archery amongst other activities.”
Daniel Vecht, managing director of London Pearl, added: “The CMJ Supplier Conference was a well planned and useful experience. It is always constructive to meet with one’s peers and discuss mutually relevant issues. The two-way information flow between the CMJ and its supplier base should help both sides grow their businesses going forward.”
During his opening speech, Emmet stated that the Company of Master Jewellers intends this to be the first of many Supplier Conferences, adding: “We want to provide you with a forum from which we can openly share, discuss and listen… Your input, your expertise, your opinions and your knowledge are invaluable, and we will provide more supplier-only events moving forward where all these strengths can be embraced.”
The Company of Master Jewellers is the largest specialist jewellery and watch buying group in the UK and Ireland, with around 165 supplier members and 150 retailer members. Find out more about what membership can offer.
