Nationality French Name Damien Dernoncourt | Residence Hong Kong | |
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Occupation Non-Executive Chairman of John Hardy | ||
Special Prize: Redress Design Award 2014/15 with John Hardy Winner's Trip to Bali
Damien Dernoncourt is the Founder and CEO of Naga Group, an operating platform bringing financing and functional expertise to brands, creative entrepreneurs and designers. In 2017, Naga Group raised capital from family offices and its first investments were in accessory, jewelry and cosmetic.
Prior to Naga, Dernoncourt ran John Hardy for 11 years, a company he built into a true global luxury brand. He lead an international team of 1,500 individuals across the company’s facilities in Asia and the US. Through a management buyout, Dernoncourt assumed control of the company in October 2007 with the support of private equity group 3i. In August 2014, he sold a controlling stake to private equity group L Catterton and became non-executive Chairman.
Dernoncourt began his career in Hong Kong, leading a buying office for a major French importer before starting, his own branding, merchandising and packaging company in China, a venture he later sold to complete an MBA at INSEAD.
Dernoncourt regularly takes part in RacingThePlanet, a long-distance desert crossing race, through which he raised money to finance the “Job for Life Foundation”, a charity he co-founded to give orphans in Bali the opportunity to learn a trade and live an independent life.
Born in France, Dernoncourt has been living in Hong Kong for the past 22 years, he has 2 children.