About this episode
Jonathan Waecker discusses the challenges and strategies of reviving the Michael Hill brand amidst economic and operational difficulties.
How does an iconic Kiwi brand recover from store closures, falling earnings, and the deaths of its founder and CEO? Jonathan Waecker, new CEO of Michael Hill, talks about stepping in to honour the jeweller’s legacy while creating urgent change. Jonathan talks through the high-stakes call to drop newer sub-brands, moving to a fully private-label model, and cornering the “mass premium” market. Learn how Canada has become the company's primary growth engine, with 85% of sales now outside NZ, and whether customers still want affordable luxury during an economic downturn. How is a jeweller impacted by the rising prices of gold and silver? What’s the role of the velvet-rope retail store in an era where you can Doordash a diamond ring? What’s got institutional investors like the ACC doubling their stake? Plus, the story of how Michael Hill was born out of a house fire in 1977. For more places to follow Shared Lunch—check out http://linktr.ee/sharedlunch Shared Lunch is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand. It is not financial advice…
People in this episode
Guest: Jonathan Waecker
Topics covered
- business recovery
- jewelry industry
- economic challenges
- brand legacy
- market strategy
Keywords
- Michael Hill
- jewelry
- economic downturn
- private-label model
- mass premium market
Sponsors
Sharesies
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Michael Hill
Places: Canada, NZ
More episodes of Shared Lunch
- Are kids the key to a better KiwiSaver? · June 10, 2026 · 21 min
- Bite: Wellington's future depends on its creatives · June 8, 2026 · 3 min
- Wellington’s creative comeback — with Yu Mei · June 3, 2026 · 20 min
- Bite: Should ambitious Gen Z leave New Zealand? (Bonus) · May 25, 2026 · 6 min
- Can you still hit your first $100k? With Luke Kemeys of Keep the Change · May 20, 2026 · 28 min
- Bite: Inside NZ's billion-dollar kiwifruit industry · May 18, 2026 · 3 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Shared Lunch podcast page.