Like many family businesses, The Romo Group has evolved since its founding in 1902. Over the past 122 years, the company has grown from supplying furniture components to upholstery brands, to supplying furnishing fabrics, to designing their own. “This creative shift transformed Romo into a leading design-driven company,” explains Emily Mould, the business’s design director. Here, Mould looks back on her family’s storied past — and how The Romo Group has become a leading force in the shelter space.
Tell us about the family connection.
EM: Robert Mould, my great-great-grandfather, founded the company, which is now in its fifth generation. Romo is currently led by me and my siblings, Felicity and Jordan Mould. Our father, Jonathan, recently stepped down as CEO after 35 years at the helm to become Chairman of our Board.
Why is this the business your family is in?
EM: Romo started out at the turn of the 20th century as a furniture manufacturer and warehouse business supplying furniture components to the local upholstery trade. In the 1930s, the company transitioned to supplying furnishing fabrics. In the 1980s, with a key eye for design himself, our father Jonathan had a passion to create beautiful products with a contemporary and distinctive style, setting them apart from everything else on the market. We established our own in-house design studio and began designing fabric collections working with partner manufacturers around the world to produce our own unique textiles and wallcoverings we could be proud of.
Lunch breaks together or separately:
EM: I often have lunch with my siblings if our diaries allow it. We are lucky enough to have a fantastic café and beautiful garden on site which really encourages people from across the business to come together.
What is the best part of being involved in your family’s business?
EM: I grew up surrounded by design and beautiful fabrics and spent many a summer holiday helping out in the design studio, so working here has always been like a home away from home. I’ve seen first-hand how Romo has grown into the leading design company it is today, and it has been a privilege to be part of that evolution. For me, the best thing about working in a family business is the feeling of being part of a strong team. As well as working closely with my father and siblings, we are fortunate to have a dedicated team of talented individuals, many of whom have spent most of their careers with the company. We’ve fostered a strong sense of family within the business.
Cherished family business milestone:
EM: One of my most treasured family business milestones was the completion of our new UK headquarters in 2020. The culmination of a clear vision and years of planning led to the creation of this architecturally outstanding building. It combines a state of the art, highly automated warehouse, three beautifully lit design studios, and an inspiring office environment, housing more than 350 employees.
Vacations together or separately:
EM: We do both! As well as working together, our family regularly meets up outside of work for holidays and social occasions, such as BBQs or a traditional Sunday lunch. We have been away on vacation together with our extended families a number of times. We love getting all the kids together: It’s always chaos, but a lot of fun.
Ten years from now I hope our family business will …
EM: Keep growing and evolving, producing even more stunning textiles, wallcoverings, and interior products with other exciting projects coming to fruition. We also want to uphold our core company values of family, growth, teamwork, integrity, and enjoyment. Hopefully, some of the next generation will also be involved in the business by then, too!
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