Pandora names new chief product officer

Jewellery brand Pandora has announced that former Michael Kors executive Philippa Newman will join the company as its new chief product officer on March 9 to ensure that creativity is “consistently translated into scalable product newness”.

Newman, who has more than 25 years of experience from global luxury fashion and accessories brands, will lead Pandora’s global product organisation, overseeing end-to-end product creation, including design, collections management, and development.

In addition, Newman will be responsible for elevating Pandora’s collections “with distinctive designs,” to drive expansion into “new aesthetic territories, and accelerating innovation through advanced materials and craftsmanship”.

Newman joins from American fashion brand Michael Kors, where she served as chief brand and product officer, responsible for brand strategy and product spanning design, merchandising, manufacturing, and sourcing. Her earlier career included roles at Tory Burch, Alexander McQueen, and Donna Karan.

She will report directly to Pandora’s chief executive, Berta de Pablos-Barbier, and will join the jewellery brand’s executive leadership team. The American executive, who currently lives in New York, will also be relocating to Pandora’s headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2026.

Commenting on the appointment, Berta de Pablos-Barbier, said in a statement: “Philippa has a proven track record of delivering profitable growth for global fashion brands. She combines creative, merchandising, and manufacturing leadership with commercial acumen and an exceptional understanding of global consumers.

“I am delighted to welcome her to Pandora and look forward to partnering with her as we accelerate the next phase of our growth.”

Pandora appoints Philippa Newman as chief product officer, succeeding Stephen Fairchild

Newman added: “Pandora is an iconic global brand with extraordinary potential. The opportunity to help shape its future as the most desirable accessible jewellery brand is truly inspiring. I am thrilled to join the team and build on Pandora’s distinctive design and global reach to contribute to the brand’s next chapter.”

She succeeds Stephen Fairchild, who is taking on a new role as chief strategic creative and cultural officer after having served as chief product officer since 2011.

In his new role, Fairchild will focus on driving cultural and brand relevance by leading the work on Pandora's material innovation strategy as well as strategic and creative leadership on developing new creative concepts, including trend explorations, collaborations, and future partners. He will remain on Pandora’s executive leadership team.

“Stephen’s leadership over the past 15 years has been instrumental in building our brand, product architecture, and design capabilities. I am pleased that he will continue to bring his expertise to Pandora and challenge us at the highest level with external insights,” added Berta de Pablos-Barbier.

Pandora to launch platinum-plated jewellery

The appointment comes as Pandora reported organic revenue growth of 6 percent for 2025, while like-for-like growth was up 2 percent, and EBIT margin came to 23.9 percent, slightly below the projected 24 percent.

The jewellery brand also announced it was introducing an exclusive range of platinum-plated jewellery, which is certified hypoallergenic, water- and tarnish-resistant, as it looks to diversify and reduce the company’s commodity exposure to rely less on silver. In Q1 2026, Pandora will introduce a curated selection of its best-selling bracelets in a platinum-plated version across 30 stores and e-commerce in Northern Europe. The pilot, it states, will inform “a global launch in the second half of 2026,” when it will add more platinum‑plated bracelets as well as a selection of charms.

Pandora is the world's largest jewellery brand, sold in more than 100 countries through around 7,000 points of sale, including more than 2,800 concept stores.