LCCA hosts inspirational conversation with guest speaker
On Tuesday 6 February, London College of Contemporary Arts students took part in an inspirational conversation with guest speaker Mr Joy Alukkas, businessman and visionary entrepreneur. Joy Alukkas is Chair of Joy Alukkas, the largest single-owned jewellery retailer in the world, and a Forbes Billionaire, 2023. During his visit to LCCA, he captivated the students, not only with his fashion knowledge but his amazing business acumen.
From humble beginnings in his father’s shop in South India, to audacious adventures in the Gulf Region, he has been a true pioneering trailblazer. Branching out on his own from a family-run business, he disrupted the traditional model of standalone jewellery stores and created a global chain comprising 160 stores in India, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the UK and the US. His diverse business interests include forex remittance and textile retail. He is regarded as one of the most prominent business leaders of the Arab world.
During the question and answer session, Mr Joy Alukkas spoke about a number of lessons he has learnt. This included not only information about jewellery but also the right way to treat people, sharing that he knows all of his 8,000 staff members by name. Elsewhere, he said that the US market was important to Joy Alukkas, while he is expecting to have three more outlets in the UK, in London and Leicester.
Following the conversation with Joy Alukkas, a student jewellery design competition, ‘Past Forward,’ was announced. Starting on Tuesday 6 February, students can win £250 cash and a jewellery voucher from Joy Alukkas by submitting a jewellery design that has a modern appeal, with a traditional ethos. The first runner up will receive £150 and the third will have £100.
Later, Mr Joy Alukkas signed copies of his recently released biography, embarking on a tour and spreading joy through the LCCA campus.
