{{Short description|British designer and entrepreneur}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Use British English|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox person | name = Alex Willcock | birth_name = Alexander Saul Murray Willcock | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|03|06|df=y}} | birth_place = England | death_date = | death_place = | education = Eton College | occupation = {{hlist | Designer }} | spouse = {{marriage |Sophie Conran |2002||end=divorced}} | children = 5 | known_for = {{indented plainlist| * Founder of Maker&Son * Founder of Imagini * Founder of The Nest }} }}
'''Alex Willcock''' (born 1964) is a British designer and entrepreneur. He is a co-founder of The Nest,<ref>{{cite news |title=The Nest |url=https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/11-october-2001/the-nest-3/ |publisher=Design Week |date=11 October 2001}}</ref><ref name="Campaign">{{cite news |title=St Luke's buys The Nest to boost offer |url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/st-lukes-buys-nest-boost-offer/228513 |publisher=Campaign |date=19 November 2004}}</ref> the founder and former CEO of Imagini,<ref name=keegan>[https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2007/aug/09/guardianweeklytechnologysection.comment Victor Keegan: Looking at a new way to make friends | Technology], ''The Guardian'', 9 August 2007.</ref> and a co-founder, with his son Felix Conran, of Maker&Son.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=2021-06-04|title=Alex Willcock and Felix Conran Share Their Inspirations|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/london/2021/06/alex-willcock-and-felix-conran-share-their-inspirations|access-date=2021-08-03|magazine=Vanity Fair|language=en-US}}</ref>
==Career== ===The Nest=== Alex Willcock co-founded the design and brand consultancy The Nest in 1999 with Russell Pinch and Rachel Marshall.<ref>{{cite news |title=Right on the money |url=https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/24-february-2005/right-on-the-money/ |publisher=Design Week |date=24 February 2005}}</ref> The company was sold to St Luke's in 2004.<ref name="Campaign"/>
===Imagini=== Imagini was a London-based software company established in 2006. The firm specialised in using images rather than traditional questions for marketing purposes. One of its software applications compared an individual's image selections with those in a database to identify and suggest others with similar preferences and worldviews.<ref name=keegan/>
===Maker&Son=== In 2018, Willcock and his son Felix Conran co-founded the luxury furniture company Maker&Son. The company quickly gained recognition for its high-quality, handcrafted products including luxury sofas. In 2022, they sold the business to Inc & Co Group.<ref>{{cite news |title=Maker&Son sale bags another payday for the Conran clan |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/business/conran-design-clan-payday-maker-son-sale-sofas-inc-co-b1018920.html |publisher=London Evening Standard |date=16 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=After a rough patch, Maker&Son is acquired |url=https://businessofhome.com/articles/after-a-rough-patch-maker-son-is-acquired |agency=Business of Home}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Inc&Co acquires Maker & Son - The MBS Group |url=https://www.thembsgroup.co.uk/external/incco-acquires-maker-son/ |publisher=The MBS Group}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Maker&Son acquired by Inc & Co |url=https://www.theretailbulletin.com/home-and-diy/maker-son-acquired-by-inc-co-16-08-2022/ |publisher=Retail Bulletin |date=16 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Luxury furniture maker sold to Manchester investment firm in multi-million pound deal |url=https://www.business-live.co.uk/manufacturing/luxury-furniture-maker-sold-manchester-24773343 |publisher=Business Live |date=17 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Investment group completes Maker&Son acquisition |url=https://furniturenews.net/news/investment-group-completes-maker-son-acquisition |publisher=Furniture News |date=23 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Furniture brand acquired by investment group |url=https://www.insidermedia.com/news/north-west/furniture-brand-acquired-by-investment-group |publisher=Insider Media |date=18 August 2022}}</ref>
===Public speaking=== On 25 January 2020, Willcock delivered a talk at TEDx Glasgow, where he explored the topic of the language of feelings.<ref>{{cite news |title=The language of feelings - Alex Willcock |url=https://tedxglasgow.com/talks |publisher=Tedx Glasgow |date=25 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The language of feelings Alex Willcock TEDxGlasgow |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=12&v=RXkF5n78zSE&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Falchetron.com%2F&source_ve_path=Mjg2NjY |publisher=Youtube}}</ref>
==Education== Willcock was awarded a scholarship to study classical music at Eton College, where he honed his innate musical talent, particularly in playing the violin, which he had taken up only a few years earlier. His deep appreciation for both classical and classic music has profoundly influenced his personal and professional endeavours.<ref>{{cite news |title=Conran's protégé: what Sir Terence taught me |url=https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/article/conrans-protege-what-sir-terence-taught-me-p2frb0v23 |work=The Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Home Alone |url=https://www.worldofinteriors.com/story/alex-willcox-snowdonia-north-wales |publisher=World of Interiors |date=9 May 2024}}</ref>
==Personal life== Willcock and his former wife, Sophie Conran, have two children, Felix Conran, who collaborates with his father as a furniture designer,<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Ella Alexander |url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/culture/lifestyle_homes/g36383941/inside-the-home-of-the-makerandson-founders/ |title=Inside the home of... the Maker&Son founders |magazine=Harper's Bazaar |date=12 May 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |author=Sophie Bew |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/20/t-magazine/christmas-dinner-entertaining-holidays.html |title=In the British Countryside, a Holiday Feast With Sofa-Shaped Butter |magazine=The New York Times Style Magazine |date=20 December 2021 }}</ref> and Coco Conran, who established herself as a fashion designer.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Astrid Joss |url=https://www.tatler.com/gallery/coco-conran-wedding |title=Inside Coco Conran's chic Christmas wedding to Alex Vardaxoglou |magazine=Tatler |date=23 December 2020 }}</ref> Alex Willcock and Sophie Conran are now divorced.
In addition, Willcock has three children from another marriage.<ref>{{cite news |title=Creaky Floors and Leaky Windows Are the Selling Points of This 1600s British Home |url=https://www.domino.com/content/alex-willcock-maker-son-england-house/ |publisher=Domino |date=12 October 2018}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Willcock, Alex}} Category:Living people Category:People educated at Eton College Category:British chief executives Category:Conran family<!-- by marriage --> Category:1964 births
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