Jonathan Sowter

Owner and CEO at Jonathan Charles Fine Furniture

Location: Vietnam
Industry: Furniture

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Jonathan Sowter's Overview

Current

Owner and CEO at Jonathan Charles Fine Furniture

Past

Furniture Specialist at Theodore Alexander
Project manager of factory in Rajasthan India at Theodore Alexander

Education

Sheffield Hallam University
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Parkwood

silcoates

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Recommendations

1 person has recommended Jonathan

Connections

500+ connections

Websites

Few people are fortunate enough to know at the age of 12 what they will do for a career, but making a piece of furniture in a school woodwork class provided the spark of inspiration for a passion that has driven Jonathan Sowter for almost 30 years. Little did Jon’s woodwork teacher, Mr Way, know that his encouragement in the classroom would inspire his pupil to travel around the world and ultimately to establish a thriving furniture manufacturing business in the Far East.

After the school classroom, Jon took a job in a Yorkshire furniture company and subsequently trained as a cabinet maker and graduated with a BA Hons in Furniture Design and Craft. At his university graduation show, he met Paul Maitland-Smith, a well known London antique dealer and maker of reproduction furniture since 1957, and the next thing he knew he was on his way to Rajasthan to establish a furniture factory.

After 2 years in India, Jon moved on to Vietnam and has lived there ever since, with an independent furniture making business of his own since 2004. Starting with just 10 people in a small factory, Jon has now built a business of more than 1,000 craftsmen (and women - in fact mostly women!) all of whom are well trained artisans capable of producing top quality furniture to the highest possible global standards.

Jon loves to keep pushing the boundaries of the business, and particularly enjoys exploring new methodologies and materials. Some years ago, for example, Jon designed an oyster secretary cabinet which was so ornate that hardware from his regular suppliers could not do it justice. The only solution was for the factory to make the hardware from scratch and from that day onwards all brass and bronze fittings on Jonathan Charles furniture has been made in the foundry on site within the factory - something which makes Jon very proud.

Specialties

WE ARE CRAFTSMEN...

WE ARE DESIGNERS...

WE STAND FOR QUALITY...

Owner and CEO

Jonathan Charles Fine Furniture

Privately Held; 501-1000 employees; Furniture industry

April 2004 – Present (8 years 2 months)

Arriving in Vietnam for the first time in 1995 to work for a large start up furniture factory, i quickly decided this was where i wanted to live. the start up company grew into a well known company called Theodore Alexander. when i left there in 2002 there were over 4000 employees. I left to set up a new factory with three other Englishmen to manufacture high end furniture... this factory was called Richdale Spears. it was during the development of this project that the concept of Jonathan Charles came together and in April of 2004 I set up my own factory to develop my own brand. Very early in the development on Jonathan Charles i partnered up with my American distributors, Wildwood Lamps who helped create incredible growth. We went from 10 employees to 1200 employees in just over 4 years...

We specialize in high-end replicas of English, French and other European 17th, 18th and 19th century antiques... hand made, in just the same way as the original antiques were. We supply the best furniture retails stores around the world, including a 2000 ft showroom in Harrods, London. We also work with the worlds leading architects and interior designers on residential and hospitality projects.

We have a dedication to making everything ourselves, which led to the development of our own foundry where we now make all our own hardware, from handles to hinges, screws to locks... we have total control of all our own production which in return gives us complete flexibility when it comes to design and product development.

We either set up our own distribution in a country or we will licence a local distributor in a country or region. In Highpoint NC, we have a 32,000-foot showroom where nearly 2000 of our designs can be seen. Currently we are available throughout all of Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East with warehouses in UK, Japan, USA, Moscow and Vietnam.

Furniture Specialist

Theodore Alexander

Privately Held; 5001-10,000 employees; Furniture industry

June 1997 – August 2002 (5 years 3 months)

I was the first employee for Theodore Alexander in Vietnam. I was sent there to perform a feasibility study on the suitability of Vietnam for manufacturing high end Furniture, with the intention of building a manufacturing facility and head office there if it was found suitable. The first 6 months were spent travelling around the country researching raw material availability, local handicrafts and general skill base.

Upon deciding that Vietnam was suitable for the project, I was given the task of developing a network of sub-contractors to make the first 400 samples that Theodore Alexander went to their first market with to launch the brand in USA. After the launch of the brand, the emphasis was to develop and build our own manufacturing facility as well as expanding the sub-contracting network.

At the time I left the company we employed over 4500 people directly with nearly another 2000 in exclusive sub-contractors.

Project manager of factory in Rajasthan India

Theodore Alexander

Privately Held; 5001-10,000 employees; Furniture industry

September 1995 – May 1997 (1 year 9 months)

I was sent to India to build a furniture factory in a village called Mandawa, in Rajasthan India. My job was to design the factory and work with local contractors to build, equip and then train the workforce. Eventually employing 1000 workers, the factory was eventually completed and manufactured an outstanding product.

Sheffield Hallam University

post grad, teacher training

1998 – 1999

Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College

BA Hons, Furniture Design and Craftsmanship

1992 – 1995

When I joined this course, I already had the cabinet making skills but I wanted to improve my design awareness. The course encouraged exploring different materials other than wood. Glass, metal and ceramics as well as jewellery making all added to my all-round knowledge that I now apply in my own business…

Parkwood

city and guilds 555, furniture craftsmanship

1989 – 1991

studied cabinet making, upholstery and finishing theory and practical. Graduating with distinction... and securing an unconditional place at High Wycombe Furniture BA Hons. Degree course in Buckinghamshire.

Activities and Societies: Cabinet making, furniture design, upholstery, design, wood, timber, veneering, veneer, finishing, french polishing