John Ayton

John Ayton MBE (born 1962/1963), is a British businessman and investor in the luxury goods industry, and the co-founder of Links of London and Annoushka, an English jewellery brand founded in 2009.

Early life Ayton was educated at Oundle School and graduated in Modern History from Oxford University in 1983.

Career After university, Ayton worked in corporate law in London and Hong Kong.

Leaving the legal profession in 1995, he was on the advisory board of Halston Borghese Inc, a US-based cosmetics company, responsible for restructuring their Japanese and German operations.

In 1990, together with his wife, jewellery designer Annoushka Ducas, Ayton co-founded Links of London, a jewellery brand with sales of over £50m. In July 2006, they sold the company to Folli Follie SA. In October 2007, Ayton stepped down from the company. Mr Hare, Boticca.com and Grind & Co.

He also acts as a mentor and advisor to the founders, and is chairman at both Bremont and Mr Hare.

Honours In the 2012 New Years Honours List, Ayton was awarded an MBE for his services to the UK jewellery industry.

Personal life Ayton and Ducas live in a Georgian cottage in Pimlico, London, since 2007, having previously lived in Notting Hill. They have four children.