Michelle Georgina Mone, Baroness Mone of Mayfair, stands as one of the most compelling and controversial figures in British business and politics. From her humble beginnings in Glasgow’s East End to founding the internationally successful Ultimo lingerie brand, receiving an OBE from Queen Elizabeth II, and becoming a member of the House of Lords, her journey epitomizes both the possibilities and complexities of modern entrepreneurship. Her story encompasses triumph over adversity, business innovation, political involvement, and more recently, significant controversy that has challenged her legacy.
Early Life and Family Background
Michelle Georgina Allan was born on October 8, 1971, in Glasgow’s East End, one of Scotland’s most economically challenged areas. Growing up in a working-class family, she experienced firsthand the financial struggles that shaped millions of British families during the 1970s and 1980s. Her childhood was marked by limited resources but strong family bonds, with her parents instilling values of hard work and determination despite their circumstances.
The trajectory of Michelle’s life changed dramatically during her teenage years when her father suffered a devastating accident that left him paraplegic. This family tragedy forced Michelle to reassess her educational and career ambitions. The financial pressure on her family became acute, as her father’s injury meant the loss of his income at a time when the family needed resources more than ever for his care and adaptation to life with severe disability.
As a young teenager, Michelle had harbored dreams of becoming a model, attracted by the glamour and opportunity that modeling represented as an escape from her working-class circumstances. However, reality intervened in ways that would reshape her future entirely. At just fifteen years old, Michelle became pregnant with her first child, a development that effectively ended her modeling aspirations and forced her into adult responsibilities while still legally a child herself.
Making the decision to leave school at fifteen without formal qualifications, Michelle married young and focused on supporting her new family. This early departure from education would later become both a source of personal regret and a powerful element of her motivational speaking, as she emphasized that lack of formal credentials need not prevent success for those with determination and creativity.
The combination of her father’s disability, early pregnancy, marriage, and leaving school created what many would consider insurmountable obstacles to success. Yet these challenges would ultimately forge the resilience and drive that characterized Michelle’s later business career, demonstrating that adversity could be transformed into motivation rather than accepting limitation.
Breaking Into the Business World
Despite leaving school without qualifications, Michelle was determined to build a career and provide for her growing family. Her entry into the business world required creativity and, by her own admission, some embellishment of her credentials. She applied for a position with Labatt, a Canadian beer brand operating in Scotland, and admitted years later that she had fabricated details on her CV to secure the role, inventing qualifications she didn’t possess to overcome the barrier of her lack of formal education.
Starting as a junior employee essentially making tea and performing basic administrative tasks, Michelle impressed her supervisors with her work ethic, natural sales ability, and marketing instincts. Within just two years, her talent had been recognized to such an extent that she was promoted to head of marketing for Labatt in Scotland, a remarkable achievement for someone so young and with no formal business education.
This rapid advancement demonstrated Michelle’s natural business acumen and ability to learn quickly in professional environments. She absorbed marketing principles, sales techniques, and business strategy through practical experience rather than academic study. Her street smarts and understanding of consumer psychology proved more valuable in many situations than theoretical knowledge from business schools.
However, her time at Labatt came to an abrupt end when she was made redundant by the company. For many people, redundancy represents a devastating setback, particularly for someone with a young family and limited formal qualifications. But for Michelle, this apparent setback became the catalyst for entrepreneurship. Rather than seeking another job working for someone else, she decided to take control of her own destiny by starting her own business.
The redundancy, while initially unwelcome, freed Michelle from the security of regular employment and forced her to consider opportunities she might not have pursued otherwise. This transition from employee to entrepreneur would define the next phase of her life and eventually lead to the creation of one of Britain’s most successful lingerie brands.
The Birth of Ultimo
The inspiration for Michelle Mone’s business empire came from an unlikely source: personal discomfort at a dinner dance. In 1996, Michelle attended a formal event wearing a cleavage-enhancing bra that was both uncomfortable and poorly designed. Throughout the evening, the underwire dug into her skin, the padding shifted awkwardly, and the overall experience was so unpleasant that it dominated her attention.
Rather than simply complaining about the poorly designed product, Michelle had an entrepreneurial epiphany. If she found existing cleavage-enhancing bras uncomfortable and impractical, surely millions of other women felt the same way. She recognized a genuine gap in the market for a bra that could enhance cleavage while remaining comfortable enough for all-day wear. This combination of aesthetic enhancement and practical comfort seemed obvious in retrospect, yet no major lingerie manufacturer had successfully addressed it.
With characteristic determination but no experience in lingerie design, manufacturing, or fashion retail, Michelle set about creating her solution. In November 1996, she and her then-husband Michael Mone founded MJM International Ltd, the company that would develop and market what would become the Ultimo bra. Working from their home, they began developing a revolutionary design featuring gel inserts that would provide both lift and comfort.
The product development process required persistence and creativity. Michelle consulted with materials experts, studied anatomy and bra construction, and went through numerous prototypes before achieving the combination of comfort and enhancement she envisioned. The result was the world’s first comfortable gel-filled cleavage-enhancing bra, a genuine innovation that addressed real consumer needs in ways existing products had failed to do.
The Ultimo bra incorporated 17 patented inventions and design features that distinguished it from competitors. The gel technology provided natural-looking enhancement without the discomfort of traditional padding, while the overall construction ensured proper support and fit. These technical innovations were backed by manufacturing quality that could compete with established lingerie brands.
However, creating an innovative product was only the first challenge. Michelle and Michael faced the daunting task of launching their brand in a market dominated by major international corporations with massive marketing budgets and established retail relationships. They needed to find a way to break through the noise and get consumers and retailers to pay attention to their unknown brand.
The Marketing Masterstroke
Michelle Mone’s greatest genius may have been not in product design but in marketing and publicity generation. Understanding that MJM International lacked the resources for traditional advertising campaigns, she conceived a publicity stunt that would generate enormous media coverage for minimal investment. The total cost: just £500.
The launch strategy centered on Selfridges, one of London’s most prestigious department stores. Michelle hired models to wear the Ultimo bra on a double-decker bus that drove past Selfridges with photographers in position to capture the spectacle. The combination of attractive models, the iconic London bus, and the prestigious Selfridges location created an irresistible photo opportunity that media outlets couldn’t resist.
The stunt worked beyond Michelle’s wildest expectations. Over 50 photographers and camera crews from around the world covered the launch, generating millions of pounds worth of free publicity. The images appeared in newspapers, magazines, and television broadcasts across multiple countries, introducing the Ultimo brand to consumers who had never heard of MJM International.
When Ultimo officially launched at Selfridges in 1999, the response was extraordinary. The store had projected six weeks of sales based on their initial order. Instead, the entire inventory sold out within 24 hours, creating what is still considered the biggest bra launch in UK retail history. Women queued to purchase the product that had generated such buzz, validating Michelle’s belief that there was genuine demand for comfortable, effective cleavage-enhancing lingerie.
This immediate retail success enabled Michelle to rapidly expand distribution. Orders flooded in from retailers who had witnessed the Selfridges phenomenon and wanted to stock this hot new product. Within months, Ultimo had secured placement in major department stores across the UK, then expanded internationally to markets including the United States, where it launched at the prestigious Saks Fifth Avenue.
Over the next decade, Michelle continued to demonstrate marketing brilliance by securing celebrity endorsements and partnerships that kept Ultimo in the public eye. High-profile models and celebrities including Penny Lancaster, Rachel Hunter, Helena Christensen, Sarah Harding, Mel B, Kelly Brook, and Luisana Lopilato all wore and promoted Ultimo products, lending glamour and aspirational appeal to the brand.
Michelle’s ability to generate publicity became legendary in marketing circles. Over a ten-year period, she personally secured over £1 billion worth of PR coverage for Ultimo, an astonishing achievement that demonstrated the value of creativity and personality in building brand awareness. Her willingness to put herself forward as the face of the company, giving interviews and appearing at events, made Ultimo inseparable from her personal brand.
Building a Lingerie Empire
The success of the original Ultimo bra provided the foundation for expanding into a complete lingerie brand. Michelle didn’t rest on her initial product’s success but continuously innovated, developing new styles, designs, and products that addressed different consumer needs and preferences. The company eventually held 17 patents covering various aspects of lingerie design and construction.
Ultimo’s product line expanded beyond the original cleavage-enhancing bra to include different styles for various occasions, body types, and fashion requirements. The brand maintained its commitment to combining comfort with aesthetic appeal across all product categories, differentiating itself from competitors that prioritized either function or appearance but rarely both.
The manufacturing base for Ultimo was deliberately established in Govan, a traditional shipbuilding district of Glasgow that had experienced severe economic decline. This decision reflected both practical considerations and Michelle’s personal connection to Glasgow’s working-class communities. By bringing manufacturing jobs to an area with high unemployment, she demonstrated social responsibility while also benefiting from local labor availability.
As Ultimo grew into a multi-million-pound business with global distribution, Michelle’s personal profile rose correspondingly. She became recognized as one of Britain’s most successful female entrepreneurs, particularly notable in an era when women-led businesses remained relatively rare in manufacturing and fashion. Her success story resonated with aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women, who saw her as proof that background and formal education need not limit achievement.
The business’s success also brought personal wealth. From her humble beginnings in Glasgow’s East End, Michelle became a multimillionaire, enjoying a lifestyle vastly different from her childhood. She moved in circles that included celebrities, royalty, and business leaders, yet maintained her connection to her roots through her speaking style and willingness to discuss her challenging background.
However, running a growing business while maintaining family responsibilities created inevitable pressures. Michelle and Michael Mone’s marriage, which had begun when they were very young and survived the early struggles of building Ultimo, eventually succumbed to the strains of business success. The couple divorced, a process that Michelle later described as extremely difficult both personally and from a business perspective, as untangling their joint ownership of Ultimo complicated an already emotional situation.
Recognition and Royal Honours
Michelle Mone’s business achievements earned formal recognition from multiple institutions. In April 2000, she received the World Young Business Achiever Award, international acknowledgment of her entrepreneurial success and innovation. This prestigious honor placed her among the global elite of young business leaders who had demonstrated exceptional achievement.
Academic institutions also recognized her accomplishments with honorary doctorates. Paisley University awarded her an honorary degree in 2002, followed by the University of Hertfordshire in 2008. These honors, particularly meaningful for someone who had left school at fifteen without qualifications, validated her achievements and provided platforms to inspire students about alternative pathways to success.
In 2001, Michelle received the Best Newcomer award at the British Apparel Export Awards, presented by HRH Princess Anne. This recognition from royalty represented acceptance by the fashion establishment and acknowledgment of Ultimo’s impact on British textile exports. The ceremony provided Michelle with her first direct interaction with the royal family, beginning relationships that would deepen over subsequent years.
Her growing profile attracted the attention of HRH Prince Charles, who invited Michelle to join the Board of Directors for The Prince’s Trust in 2001. This charitable organization, founded by Charles in 1976, helps young people facing challenges to get their lives on track through education, training, and employment support. Michelle’s own story of overcoming disadvantage made her an ideal trustee who could relate to the young people the Trust aimed to help.
The pinnacle of official recognition came in 2010 when Queen Elizabeth II appointed Michelle as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in recognition of her outstanding contribution to business. This honor, one of the most prestigious the British state can bestow, represented formal acknowledgment that Michelle Mone had made exceptional contributions to the nation through her entrepreneurial success and job creation.
Receiving the OBE from the Queen at Buckingham Palace represented an almost unimaginable journey from her childhood in Glasgow’s East End. The ceremony connected Michelle to a tradition of honors dating back centuries while recognizing very modern achievements in business and entrepreneurship. For someone who had faced so many obstacles, standing before the monarch to receive this recognition must have been profoundly emotional.
Media Personality and Author
Beyond business, Michelle Mone developed a parallel career as a media personality and motivational speaker. Her compelling personal story—overcoming poverty, lack of education, teenage pregnancy, and family tragedy to build a multimillion-pound business—resonated powerfully with audiences seeking inspiration and practical business advice.
Michelle appeared on numerous television programs across different genres. She competed on BBC’s Celebrity MasterChef, showcasing her competitive spirit in a completely different domain from business. She also participated in BBC’s Celebrity Apprentice, where her business expertise was directly relevant, and tried her hand as an explorer on ITV’s 71 Degrees North, demonstrating versatility and willingness to challenge herself in unfamiliar situations.
Her daughter Bethany experienced a taste of Michelle’s upbringing on Channel 4’s documentary series Born Famous, which explored what life would have been like for children of wealthy parents if they had been born into their parents’ original circumstances. This program provided insight into just how dramatically different Bethany’s life was from Michelle’s own childhood, highlighting the social mobility Michelle had achieved.
Michelle became a regular guest on daytime television shows including ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Loose Women, Channel 5’s Jeremy Vine Show, and BBC’s Newsnight. These appearances kept her in the public eye while allowing her to share business insights and comment on current affairs, particularly around entrepreneurship, women in business, and economic opportunity.
In spring 2015, Michelle published her autobiography “My Fight to the Top,” which became a bestseller. The book detailed her journey from Glasgow’s East End to business success, including frank discussions of the challenges she faced including poverty, her father’s disability, early pregnancy, business setbacks, and her difficult divorce. The autobiography served multiple purposes: generating income, raising her profile, and inspiring others to overcome their own obstacles.
As a motivational speaker, Michelle commanded significant fees for appearances at corporate events, business conferences, and educational institutions. She spoke in over 50 countries, sharing her story and business lessons with diverse audiences. Her speaking career became a substantial income stream independent of her business ventures, demonstrating how personal brand can be monetized beyond product sales.
Glamour magazine voted Michelle as Britain’s Number One most powerful woman in business, a subjective but influential ranking that reflected her profile and perceived influence. Such accolades reinforced her status as a role model for aspiring female entrepreneurs while keeping her name prominent in business and popular media.
Sale of Ultimo and New Ventures
After nearly two decades of building Ultimo from a bedroom idea into an international lingerie brand, Michelle made the decision to sell the company. In 2014, she sold Ultimo to MAS Holdings, a Sri Lankan lingerie giant that manufactures intimate apparel for major global brands. The sale price was not publicly disclosed, but it reportedly provided Michelle with substantial proceeds that gave her financial independence and capital for future ventures.
The decision to sell Ultimo reflected both the personal and business challenges Michelle had faced. Her divorce from Michael Mone had complicated the business ownership structure and made continuing to work together difficult. Additionally, after 18 years of intense focus on one business, Michelle was ready for new challenges and opportunities that her success had made possible.
Following the sale, Michelle diversified her business interests across multiple sectors. She launched a designer jewelry brand in partnership with shopping channel QVC, with the “Michelle for QVC” line regularly featuring on the network. This venture allowed her to leverage her personal brand and fashion sensibility while entering a different product category from lingerie.
Michelle also invested in property development, particularly in Dubai, where she established global interior design businesses. The Middle Eastern luxury market represented an opportunity to apply her brand-building skills in a region experiencing rapid growth and development. Her property investments in Dubai would later become relevant to both her personal life and subsequent controversies.
In 2017, Michelle transferred ownership of her UTAN tanning business to her daughter Rebecca, demonstrating her commitment to supporting the next generation of her family while reducing her own business portfolio. This transfer kept the business in the family while allowing Rebecca to develop her own entrepreneurial credentials.
Perhaps most ambitiously, Michelle and her partner Doug Barrowman launched a cryptocurrency project in 2018, with Michelle describing herself as “one of the biggest experts in Cryptocurrency and Blockchain.” The project aimed to raise $80 million through an Initial Coin Offering (ICO), riding the cryptocurrency boom that had captured global investment attention.
However, the cryptocurrency venture proved far less successful than Ultimo. By August 2018, The Sunday Times reported that the project had “flopped” and all investors had been refunded. This high-profile failure demonstrated that Michelle’s business acumen, so evident in lingerie and personal branding, did not automatically translate to complex financial technology ventures where she lacked experience and expertise.
Political Career and the House of Lords
Michelle Mone’s business success and public profile attracted political attention. In the summer of 2015, then-Prime Minister David Cameron invited her to become a UK Business Tsar and conduct what became known as the Mone Review. This government-commissioned investigation examined the startup ecosystem in deprived areas of the UK and recommended mechanisms to boost entrepreneurial efforts in communities facing economic challenges.
The Mone Review reflected Michelle’s personal experience of overcoming deprivation to achieve business success. Her appointment signaled the Conservative government’s interest in promoting entrepreneurship as a solution to regional economic inequality and youth unemployment. The review’s findings and recommendations aimed to make business startup support more accessible in areas that had historically lacked such infrastructure.
Following completion of the review, Cameron made an even more significant gesture of recognition by nominating Michelle for a life peerage in the House of Lords. After consultation with the College of Arms, on September 30, 2015, she was created a life peer as Baroness Mone of Mayfair in the City of Westminster. She was introduced in the House of Lords on October 15, 2015, by fellow Conservative peers Lord Freud and Baroness Morris of Bolton.
At 44 years old, Michelle became one of the youngest members of the House of Lords and one of the few life peers with such a working-class background. Her journey from Glasgow’s East End to Britain’s upper legislative chamber represented an extraordinary example of social mobility and demonstrated that the modern honours system could recognize business achievement alongside traditional routes to peerage.
As Baroness Mone, Michelle took the Conservative whip and participated in House of Lords debates and committees, particularly those related to business, entrepreneurship, and economic development. She used her platform to advocate for policies supporting small businesses, reducing regulatory burdens, and promoting entrepreneurship in disadvantaged communities.
Her political involvement extended beyond legislative work to include mentoring entrepreneurs and supporting business initiatives. Michelle offered mentoring to aspiring entrepreneurs, using her platform and experience to guide others attempting to build businesses from scratch. This work aligned with her long-standing charitable activities and commitment to giving back to communities similar to those she came from.
However, Michelle’s political career would eventually become overshadowed by controversy related to her business dealings during the COVID-19 pandemic, raising serious questions about conflicts of interest and the appropriateness of peers using political connections for business advantage.
The PPE Scandal and Controversy
Michelle Mone’s reputation faced its most severe test during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, when her connection to PPE (personal protective equipment) contracts awarded by the UK government became the subject of intense scrutiny, legal proceedings, and political controversy. The scandal raised fundamental questions about transparency, conflicts of interest, and the operation of the “VIP lane” for government procurement during the pandemic emergency.
In 2020, as Britain struggled to secure adequate PPE for healthcare workers during the pandemic, the government established an expedited procurement process for suppliers who had been recommended by senior politicians, officials, or officials. This became known as the “VIP lane,” and companies entering through this route were significantly more likely to be awarded contracts than those using standard procurement channels.
Michelle Mone’s connection to the controversy centered on PPE Medpro, a company with links to her and her husband Doug Barrowman. The company was awarded government contracts worth approximately £200 million to supply PPE including gowns and face masks. These contracts, awarded through the VIP lane, became subject to investigation when questions arose about the quality of some supplied items and the appropriateness of how the contracts were obtained.
Initially, Michelle Mone denied any involvement with PPE Medpro, stating that she had no role in the company and was not a beneficiary of its profits. However, investigative journalism and subsequent legal proceedings revealed a more complex picture. Evidence emerged suggesting that Michelle had been more involved than her public statements indicated and that she and her family stood to benefit financially from the contracts.
The controversy intensified when documents revealed that Michelle had contacted government ministers and officials on behalf of PPE Medpro, using her position as a member of the House of Lords to facilitate introductions and advocate for the company. Critics argued that this represented an inappropriate use of her political position for commercial benefit, potentially violating House of Lords rules about conflicts of interest and financial transparency.
Further investigation revealed that approximately £29 million in profits from the PPE contracts had been transferred to offshore trusts associated with Doug Barrowman, with Michelle identified as a beneficiary. This contradicted her earlier denials of financial benefit and raised serious questions about transparency and honesty in her public statements.
In December 2022, facing mounting pressure and scrutiny, Michelle announced that she was taking a leave of absence from the House of Lords. She stated that she would not return to Parliament until the conclusion of investigations by the House of Lords Commissioner for Standards and other authorities examining the PPE contracts and her conduct.
The scandal generated sustained negative media coverage and calls for Michelle to be expelled from the House of Lords. Critics argued that she had exploited her political position for personal financial gain during a national emergency, using insider access to secure lucrative government contracts for a company in which she had undisclosed interests. The fact that some of the PPE supplied was reportedly substandard added another dimension to the controversy.
In December 2023, Michelle and Doug Barrowman gave an interview to BBC journalist Laura Kuenssberg in which they finally acknowledged their financial interest in PPE Medpro, admitting that Michelle had lied in previous denials. They defended their conduct by arguing that the government had been desperate for PPE and that they had provided a valuable service, though they acknowledged that some products failed to meet requirements.
This partial admission did little to quell the controversy. Opposition politicians called for criminal investigations, and the National Crime Agency announced it was examining the case. The House of Lords Commissioner for Standards continued investigating potential breaches of parliamentary rules. Legal proceedings involving attempted contract enforcement and allegations of fraudulent representation further complicated the situation.
Personal Life and Relationships
Michelle Mone’s personal life has been marked by both family devotion and significant relationship changes. Her first marriage to Michael Mone began when both were very young and survived the early struggles of building Ultimo together. The couple had three children together: Rebecca, Declan, and Bethany, who grew up experiencing the transformation of their family’s circumstances from working class to wealthy as Ultimo succeeded.
However, the pressures of building and running a business, combined with the inevitable changes that accompany sudden wealth and fame, took their toll on the marriage. Michelle and Michael divorced in a process that Michelle later described as extremely difficult, particularly because they had to untangle their joint business interests in Ultimo while managing the emotional aspects of ending their relationship.
The divorce settlement and division of Ultimo ownership were contentious, with negotiations complicated by the company’s value and both parties’ contributions to its success. The experience left Michelle emotionally drained but also freed to pursue new relationships and business directions without the complications of working with an ex-spouse.
In the years following her divorce, Michelle met Doug Barrowman, a Scottish businessman and financier who had built his own fortune through finance and investment businesses. Barrowman, based partly in the Isle of Man and with extensive business interests including offshore finance structures, represented a different world from Michelle’s lingerie manufacturing background.
The relationship between Michelle and Doug developed into a personal and business partnership, with the couple eventually marrying. They divided their time between properties in multiple locations including London, Scotland, and increasingly Dubai, where they invested in luxury property and their children attended expensive private schools.
Michelle’s relationship with her children remained important despite her busy career and complicated personal life. She involved her daughter Rebecca in business by transferring the UTAN tanning company to her ownership, providing entrepreneurial opportunity for the next generation. Her children’s lives, growing up with wealth and privilege that Michelle had never experienced, represented the dramatic social mobility her success had achieved.
The decision to base the family in Dubai, announced in early 2025, reflected both practical considerations around education costs in Britain and the lifestyle advantages of the Gulf emirate. However, the move attracted criticism given Michelle’s position as a British peer and the implicit message that Britain’s tax and education systems were inadequate for her family’s needs.
Legacy and Impact
Assessing Michelle Mone’s legacy requires acknowledging both her genuine achievements and the serious controversies that have tarnished her reputation. Her journey from Glasgow’s East End to founding a successful international lingerie brand represents a remarkable entrepreneurial success story that inspired countless others, particularly women from disadvantaged backgrounds who saw in her proof that origins need not determine destiny.
Ultimo’s success demonstrated that British manufacturing could compete globally even in sectors dominated by major international corporations, provided innovation, marketing creativity, and quality were prioritized. Michelle’s marketing genius—generating over £1 billion in PR value for relatively modest spending—offered lessons that business schools continue to study about the power of personal branding and creative publicity.
Her willingness to discuss her humble origins, lack of formal education, and challenges including teenage pregnancy helped destigmatize these experiences for others facing similar circumstances. By presenting herself authentically rather than concealing her background, Michelle became a relatable figure whose success felt achievable to ordinary people rather than being reserved for the privileged elite.
The jobs created by Ultimo, particularly in economically depressed Govan, represented tangible positive impact beyond personal wealth creation. Manufacturing employment in areas suffering industrial decline provided both economic benefits and dignity to workers who might otherwise have faced unemployment or low-wage service work.
However, the PPE scandal has fundamentally compromised Michelle’s reputation and raised questions about her integrity. The revelations that she lied about her involvement with PPE Medpro, used her political position to secure government contracts, and financially benefited from pandemic-related procurement while initially denying it represent serious breaches of public trust.
The controversy has overshadowed her earlier achievements and transformed public perception from inspirational entrepreneur to symbol of alleged corruption and cronyism during the pandemic. Whether she faces criminal charges or formal sanctions from the House of Lords remains to be seen, but the reputational damage appears irreversible.
Frequently Asked Questions About Michelle Mone
Who is Michelle Mone?
Michelle Georgina Mone, Baroness Mone of Mayfair, OBE, is a Scottish businesswoman, entrepreneur, and life peer in the House of Lords. Born October 8, 1971, in Glasgow’s East End, she founded the Ultimo lingerie brand and later became involved in politics, receiving a life peerage in 2015. She is currently on leave from the House of Lords amid controversy over PPE contracts.
How did Michelle Mone start Ultimo?
Michelle founded Ultimo in 1996 after experiencing discomfort from a poorly designed cleavage-enhancing bra at a dinner dance. Recognizing a market gap, she and her then-husband Michael created the world’s first comfortable gel-filled cleavage-enhancing bra, launching it with a £500 publicity stunt that generated massive media coverage and led to immediate retail success.
What was Michelle Mone’s early life like?
Michelle grew up in Glasgow’s East End in a working-class family. Her father became paraplegic when she was young, creating financial pressure. She became pregnant at fifteen, married young, and left school without qualifications. These challenging circumstances motivated her later business success.
How much is Michelle Mone worth?
While exact figures are not publicly confirmed, Michelle Mone built substantial wealth through the sale of Ultimo to MAS Holdings in 2014, property investments, and other business ventures. Her wealth has been estimated in the tens of millions of pounds, though the PPE controversy has affected her financial and legal situation.
What honors has Michelle Mone received?
Michelle received an OBE from Queen Elizabeth II in 2010 for services to business, the World Young Business Achiever Award in 2000, and honorary doctorates from Paisley University and the University of Hertfordshire. She was also appointed to the House of Lords in 2015 as Baroness Mone of Mayfair.
Who is Michelle Mone married to now?
Michelle is married to Doug Barrowman, a Scottish businessman and financier. She was previously married to Michael Mone, with whom she founded Ultimo and had three children: Rebecca, Declan, and Bethany. She and Michael divorced after many years together.
What is the PPE scandal involving Michelle Mone?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Michelle was connected to PPE Medpro, which received approximately £200 million in government contracts to supply PPE. She initially denied involvement and financial benefit but later admitted she had lied. Evidence showed she used her political position to facilitate the contracts, and approximately £29 million in profits went to offshore trusts where she was a beneficiary.
Is Michelle Mone still in the House of Lords?
Michelle is technically still a member of the House of Lords but took a leave of absence in December 2022 amid the PPE scandal. She stated she would not return until investigations by the House of Lords Commissioner for Standards and other authorities were concluded. Calls have been made for her expulsion from Parliament.
What did Michelle Mone do before Ultimo?
Before founding Ultimo, Michelle worked for Labatt, a Canadian beer brand, starting in junior roles and rising to become head of marketing for Scotland. She admits she fabricated qualifications on her CV to get the initial job. She was made redundant, which prompted her to start her own business.
How did Michelle Mone sell Ultimo?
Michelle sold Ultimo to MAS Holdings, a Sri Lankan lingerie manufacturing giant, in 2014 after nearly 18 years of building the brand. The sale came after her divorce from co-founder Michael Mone and provided her with capital to pursue other business ventures.
What businesses has Michelle Mone been involved in besides Ultimo?
Beyond Ultimo, Michelle has been involved in jewelry design (Michelle for QVC), property development in Dubai, interior design businesses, tanning products (UTAN), and a failed cryptocurrency venture with Doug Barrowman in 2018 that was refunded to investors after it flopped.
Why did Michelle Mone become a Baroness?
Michelle was appointed to the House of Lords in 2015 by Prime Minister David Cameron, who invited her to conduct the Mone Review examining startup ecosystems in deprived UK areas. Her business success and public profile made her an attractive political appointee representing entrepreneurship and Conservative values.
What was Michelle Mone’s role in The Prince’s Trust?
Michelle was invited by Prince Charles in 2001 to join the Board of Directors for The Prince’s Trust, the charity supporting young people facing challenges. Her own experience overcoming disadvantage made her a valuable trustee who could relate to the Trust’s beneficiaries.
Has Michelle Mone written any books?
Yes, Michelle published her autobiography “My Fight to the Top” in spring 2015, which became a bestseller. The book detailed her journey from poverty in Glasgow to business success, including frank discussions of challenges including early pregnancy, family tragedy, business setbacks, and divorce.
What TV shows has Michelle Mone appeared on?
Michelle has appeared on BBC’s Celebrity MasterChef, Celebrity Apprentice, and regularly on shows including ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Loose Women, Channel 5’s Jeremy Vine Show, and BBC’s Newsnight. She also competed on ITV’s 71 Degrees North and her daughter appeared on Channel 4’s Born Famous.
Where does Michelle Mone live now?
Michelle and Doug Barrowman announced in early 2025 that they had moved their family to Dubai, where their children attend school. They cited Labour’s increased private school fees and Britain’s declining quality of life as reasons for the move, while maintaining UK property interests.
What is Michelle Mone’s connection to Glasgow?
Michelle was born and raised in Glasgow’s East End and established Ultimo’s manufacturing base in Govan, a working-class shipbuilding district. Despite her wealth and international lifestyle, she has maintained connections to Glasgow and speaks about her Scottish working-class roots in her motivational speaking.
What awards has Michelle Mone won for business?
Michelle won the World Young Business Achiever Award in 2000, Best Newcomer at the British Apparel Export Awards in 2001 (presented by Princess Anne), Business Woman of the Year at the Corporate Elite Awards, and a lifetime achievement award from HSBC in 2016, among others.
Is Michelle Mone involved in charity work?
Michelle has been involved in various charitable activities including serving on The Prince’s Trust board, supporting the Barrowman Foundation (which empowers young people), and participating in fundraising for various causes. However, her charitable reputation has been affected by the PPE scandal.
What happened to the cryptocurrency project Michelle Mone launched?
In 2018, Michelle and Doug Barrowman launched a cryptocurrency project aiming to raise $80 million, with Michelle describing herself as “one of the biggest experts in Cryptocurrency and Blockchain.” The project flopped by August 2018, and The Sunday Times reported that all investors had been refunded.
Michelle Mone’s life story encompasses both inspiring entrepreneurial achievement and serious controversy that has fundamentally challenged her legacy. From creating genuine business innovation with Ultimo to allegedly exploiting political connections for personal profit during a pandemic, her journey illuminates both the possibilities and pitfalls of modern entrepreneurship and political involvement. Whether history remembers her primarily for her business success or for the PPE scandal will depend partly on the outcomes of ongoing investigations and legal proceedings, but the contrast between her earlier reputation and current status represents one of the most dramatic falls from grace in recent British public life.
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