Alex Willcock
Encyclopedia
Alex Willcock is the founder and CEO of Imagini
, the owner of VisualDNA technology. In 2009, Alex Willcock was granted a patent for Imagini's Method and system for computerized searching and matching multimedia objects using emotional preference.
Alex Willcock is married to Charlie Kinsman with whom he has three children, Song, Otter and Hero. His first wife was Sophie Conran
with whom he has two children, Felix and Coco.
, the Storehouse Group and the actor John Cleese
.
n fashion retailer, Country Road
, approached him to help set up and develop a range of home stores called Country Road Homeware. Within two months of joining, he became General Manager of the Home division with vertical responsibility from concept to customer.
asked Willcock to return to the United Kingdom
to take up the dual role as Buying and Marketing Director for the shop group and to head a new initiative to be called Conran Collection. He later went on to become Creative Director for The Conran Group and spearheaded corporate social responsibility projects such as ethical sourcing of products.
As Buying and Marketing Director, Willcock oversaw the buying and marketing teams who, with Sir Terence Conran himself, were jointly responsible for the development of new product lines. Willcock was also responsible for developing Conran Collection, from watches and pens, cutlery and glass, blankets and sheets, vases and office accessories through to furniture and rugs.
When he later became Creative Director for the group, he and the Conran Studio team also undertook brand development projects for clients such as the re-invention of the Lancôme brand, the extension of the Michelin
brand, and for British Airways
the design of the new interior for Concorde
.
.
On the basis of this, Willcock instigated an initiative in India with a local NGO called ASK to commence the foundation of a sustainable education programme for working children and a health and safety initiative for their parents. It was through this exposure, Willcock felt compelled to leave conventional corporate life and start a business that was committed to bringing about positive change
Willcock left the Conran Group, of which he was one of only seven shareholders, and founded The Nest with Rachel Marshall and Russell Pinch in 1999.
From 1999–2004, The Nest pioneered many new initiatives in the creative arena, especially in its ethical approach to business which included the creation with Roo Rogers of a concept called ChangeMakers, which was further developed by the TV production company, Drive Thru Pictures and made into a series for the BBC.
The Nest worked with a diverse range of major clients including Selfridges
, British Airways
, MFI Retail, Sainsbury’s, Cadbury plc, W H Smith
and Currys
as well as smaller companies such as The Eden Project
, Neal’s Yard Remedies and Miller Harris.
Imagini
- About Imagini:Imagini is a London-based technology company that developed technology to capture VisualDNA, a means of understanding emotions through images. In 2009, Imagini was granted a patent for its method and system for computerized searching and matching multimedia objects using emotional...
, the owner of VisualDNA technology. In 2009, Alex Willcock was granted a patent for Imagini's Method and system for computerized searching and matching multimedia objects using emotional preference.
Alex Willcock is married to Charlie Kinsman with whom he has three children, Song, Otter and Hero. His first wife was Sophie Conran
Sophie Conran
-Early life:Conran is the daughter of designer and restaurateur Sir Terence Conran and food writer Caroline Conran, the sister of fashion designer Jasper Conran, restaurateur Tom, artist Edmund and product designer Sebastian.- Career :...
with whom he has two children, Felix and Coco.
Previous positions
Prior to his venture into enabling a relevant and humanized web, Willcock was a figure in the design and retail industries.Alex Willcock Associates 1984-1989
Between 1984–1989, he ran his own furniture, interior design and manufacturing businesses, which enabled him to live and work in Australia for nearly two years. He had both corporate and private clients including Sir Terence ConranTerence Conran
Sir Terence Orby Conran, FCSD, is an English designer, restaurateur, retailer and writer.-Early life and education:Terence Conran was born in Kingston upon Thames, the son of Christina Mabel and South African-born Gerard Rupert Conran, a businessman who owned a rubber importation company in East...
, the Storehouse Group and the actor John Cleese
John Cleese
John Marwood Cleese is an English actor, comedian, writer, and film producer. He achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and performer on The Frost Report...
.
Country Road 1990-1995
In 1990, an AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n fashion retailer, Country Road
Country Road
Country Road is an upscale store located in Australia and New Zealand clothing retailer, with 68 free standing stores and 77 department store concessions. It is traded on the Australian Stock Exchange, with South African company Woolworths Holdings Limited owning 88%...
, approached him to help set up and develop a range of home stores called Country Road Homeware. Within two months of joining, he became General Manager of the Home division with vertical responsibility from concept to customer.
Conran Group 1995-1999
In 1995, Sir Terence ConranTerence Conran
Sir Terence Orby Conran, FCSD, is an English designer, restaurateur, retailer and writer.-Early life and education:Terence Conran was born in Kingston upon Thames, the son of Christina Mabel and South African-born Gerard Rupert Conran, a businessman who owned a rubber importation company in East...
asked Willcock to return to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to take up the dual role as Buying and Marketing Director for the shop group and to head a new initiative to be called Conran Collection. He later went on to become Creative Director for The Conran Group and spearheaded corporate social responsibility projects such as ethical sourcing of products.
As Buying and Marketing Director, Willcock oversaw the buying and marketing teams who, with Sir Terence Conran himself, were jointly responsible for the development of new product lines. Willcock was also responsible for developing Conran Collection, from watches and pens, cutlery and glass, blankets and sheets, vases and office accessories through to furniture and rugs.
When he later became Creative Director for the group, he and the Conran Studio team also undertook brand development projects for clients such as the re-invention of the Lancôme brand, the extension of the Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
brand, and for British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
the design of the new interior for Concorde
Concorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
.
Ethical sourcing at Conran
Willcock’s role as a buyer had taken him to many different countries, most of which were in the developing world. It was these experiences that encouraged him to commence an ethical sourcing programme for the Conran Group in 1996. This programme, supported by the main board, commenced with extensive research, which, in turn, unearthed a number of issues for the group regarding the potential of in-direct employment of children within a region of IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
On the basis of this, Willcock instigated an initiative in India with a local NGO called ASK to commence the foundation of a sustainable education programme for working children and a health and safety initiative for their parents. It was through this exposure, Willcock felt compelled to leave conventional corporate life and start a business that was committed to bringing about positive change
Willcock left the Conran Group, of which he was one of only seven shareholders, and founded The Nest with Rachel Marshall and Russell Pinch in 1999.
The Nest 1999-2004
The Nest was founded as a one-stop-shop creative communication agency, with the aim of bringing together three conventionally incongruous elements; excellence in creativity, strong commercial understanding and a commitment to positive change and ethical business.From 1999–2004, The Nest pioneered many new initiatives in the creative arena, especially in its ethical approach to business which included the creation with Roo Rogers of a concept called ChangeMakers, which was further developed by the TV production company, Drive Thru Pictures and made into a series for the BBC.
The Nest worked with a diverse range of major clients including Selfridges
Selfridges
Selfridges, AKA Selfridges & Co, is a chain of high end department stores in the United Kingdom. It was founded by Harry Gordon Selfridge. The flagship store in London's Oxford Street is the second largest shop in the UK and was opened on 15 March 1909.More recently, three other stores have been...
, British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
, MFI Retail, Sainsbury’s, Cadbury plc, W H Smith
W H Smith
WHSmith plc is a British retailer, headquartered in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. It is best known for its chain of high street, railway station, airport, hospital and motorway service station shops selling books, stationery, magazines, newspapers, and entertainment products...
and Currys
Currys
Currys is an electrical retailer in the United Kingdom and Ireland and is owned by Dixons Retail plc. It specialises in selling home electronics and household appliances, with 295 superstores and 73 high street stores...
as well as smaller companies such as The Eden Project
Eden Project
The Eden Project is a visitor attraction in Cornwall in the United Kingdom, including the world's largest greenhouse. Inside the artificial biomes are plants that are collected from all around the world....
, Neal’s Yard Remedies and Miller Harris.