Master

The Master Pattenmaker,
Jane Wilson

One of the ancient Livery Companies, the Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers’ original trade has long disappeared, but it is now closely affiliated to the footwear sector.

Jane has over 40 years’ experience in the footwear industry, developing and expanding global consumer brands, many of which have become established household names. Her career journey began as a graduate trainee with the footwear company Clarks. Here she gained a valuable commercial grounding in all aspects of Retail, Wholesale, and Product Range Management.

In 1996, she joined the board of Start-rite Shoes as the Product & Marketing Director, bringing her experience and commercial acumen to the company. In 2003, she was appointed Chief Executive Officer, where she steered the company to success and profitability through a period of great change, as UK production ceased and overseas sourcing became the norm in the UK.

In 2005, Jane returned to Clarks as Children’s Director, where she applied her extensive experience to enhance the brand’s positioning, reasserting its dominance in the children’s category. Her strategic leadership and vision quickly lead to her promotion in 2007 to Chief Product Officer. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, Jane played a pivotal role in directing company strategy. She led the creation and development of the global product portfolio for Clarks International, across the UK, US and Asia, overseeing a successful and profitable business turning over £1.4 billion. Demonstrating her ability to drive growth and innovation on a global scale, she championed product innovation across all categories including leveraging the opportunity of the famous Clarks’ Originals brand.

In 2014, Jane left Clarks and founded MOOT Management Consulting, where she applied decades of industry expertise to work with an international client base, including prestigious brands like ECCO Denmark and BATA Italy. She has been consultant CEO to the William Lamb Group, an importer of footwear in the UK, for the last seven years, and advised as Chair to other UK footwear companies until 2025, consolidating her reputation as a trusted advisor in the footwear industry. Today, Jane holds the position of Chair of the British Footwear Association, where she shapes and guides the direction of the Association for the benefit of the sector.

Jane became a Liveryman in 2001, becoming Trade Warden in 2016 progressing to Court Assistant in 2018. She has served as Chair and a Trustee of the Charity Committee for 7 years. For almost 20 years, Jane has led the highly successful Future Leader’s Award for young Pattenmakers, which actively seeks out and supports emerging talent within the footwear sector. Jane’s commitment to mentorship and talent development exemplifies her passion for driving positive change and ensuring a vibrant future for the footwear community. Jane is committed to maintaining the strong links between the Pattenmakers and the UK footwear industry.

She has two adult children, Caroline and William and lives with her husband David in the beautiful county of Somerset.