Women beyond Durham: Philippa Jackson

By Poppy Reed

For this International Women’s Day edition, I spoke with Durham University alumna and Van Mildert’s own, Philippa Jackson, Executive Director for Human Resources at Watches of Switzerland. From practising employment law in London to leading HR strategy in a FTSE 250 luxury retailer, Jackson’s career path has been inspiring and fruitful. In our conversation, she reflects on career pivots, leadership, confidence, and the realities of being a woman in senior business. 

You have a law background from Durham, and now you are working in luxury retail HR. How did you make this pivot, and what prompted the shift?

“I practised law for around 10 years, completing my training contract in London before specialising in employment law. The turning point came when I was advising on a project and watched an HR practitioner talk not just about legal process, but about organisational strategy — the future of the business, its operating context, and how everything connected. It opened my eyes to a world beyond technical advice.

I realised that what energised me wasn’t the procedural element of law, but the breadth, the strategy, and the opportunity to shape how an organisation really works. My legal training gave me credibility and strong foundations, but HR offered the chance to influence the bigger picture. That realisation set me on the path to where I am today.”

“You need confidence to put yourself in the position to learn”

Philippa jackson

What would you say to students feeling pressure to follow a straight-line career?

“The word ‘career’, in reality, means to swerve or move around — and most careers do exactly that. Every stage of your journey is a ticket to the next: A levels to university, university to training, training to your first role. Always use each ticket wisely as it’s the next step on the journey.

I didn’t come from a privileged background or attend private school, so I treated every opportunity as something meaningful. My degree at Durham and my London training contract became the foundations that unlocked the rest of my career. You may not end up where you first imagined, but it’s important to embrace every step. That’s where the learning – and the joy – really sits.  I am grateful for every opportunity, even if at the time it didn’t make total sense”

What has been the toughest obstacle in your career?

“One lesson I learned later than I wish I had is that intelligence is not the same as knowledge. We grow up equating grades with capability, but true intelligence is how you apply knowledge, how you connect dots, and how you flex between detail and big-picture thinking. Emotional intelligence matters just as much as IQ. Once you understand that, your confidence grows, and your career opens up.  

I wish I had known that as a student, as your confidence can get knocked, you base your worth on how much you know, and knowledge comes with experience. You need the confidence to put yourself in a position to learn. You don’t get confident from talking about confidence; it comes from trying things, doing things, experimenting. You build confidence not by talking about it, but by doing — trying, failing, learning, adjusting.”

What is the most rewarding part of your career?

“Without question, it’s developing people. Hiring talented individuals, supporting them, watching them grow and thrive — those moments are incredibly fulfilling.

In my current role, I also cherish the privilege of working in a business that sells beautiful things in beautiful ways. I also run the Watches of Switzerland Foundation, which is a charitable part of our business, and Brian Duffy (our CEO) is well-known as a philanthropist, so I get the opportunity to contribute to meaningful charitable work. I also get to collaborate with exceptional individuals — from David Gandy to D J Spoony — as well as attending places like Downing Street and Buckingham Palace for important conversations.

As someone whose grandfather was a coal miner, I sometimes have to remind myself just how far my journey has taken me. I don’t take any of it for granted.”

Your 2023–2024 gender pay gap report shows clear progress. What shifts have been most successful?

“Our mean gender pay gap is now 15%, and our median is 5%. We’ve achieved this through deliberate action: hiring women into the right roles, paying them market-competitive rates, and ensuring our benchmarking processes support fairness and equal opportunity.

We have no gaps in our lower quartiles; the gaps at the upper levels reflect the fact that our top five roles are currently held by men. That said, we remain in the FTSE 250 Top 10 Women Leaders Index for the third year, showing strong direction of travel. But metrics alone don’t solve this. If they did, the Equal Pay Act of the 1970s would have fixed everything.”

Creating a culture where women feel supported and able to be themselves is critical, and it’s always important to encourage women into leadership to be role models for the future.

Image: Philippa Jackson