Jan Cameron
Encyclopedia
Jan Cameron, CNZM
(born 1963) is Australia
's forth richest woman and the founder of the Kathmandu clothing company. She currently lives in Bicheno
, Tasmania
. She currently runs various companies and business interests, which together span Canada
, America
, Britain
, New Zealand
and Australia. She is a philanthropist
, and avid supporter of animal rights.
In 2006, Jan Cameron sold 51% of her share of Kathmandu for $247 million Australian dollars, making her the fourth richest woman in Australia.
On the 14th of April, 2010 she was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit
by the Governor General of New Zealand
for "services to business and philanthropy."
Jan Cameron recently gained media attention in Tasmania when she and Graeme Wood, founder of Wotif.com
purchased the Triabunna native forest woodchip mill, and began plans to turn it in to an eco-resort. After the the Premier of Tasmania Lara Giddings
contacted her, it was agreed that the woodchip mill would continue for 4-5 years, before it is converted in to the planned eco-resort.
, an unknown percentage of Macpac
, and 19% of the Postie Plus Group. She also owns Nood (New Objects of Desire), a Canadian and New Zealand furniture retail company.
and stout supporter of animal rights and various charities. In 2010 she founded the Animal Justice Fund, donating five million dollars to start the organization, which states its mission as "to promote the cause of animal welfare through strategic litigation, public awareness campaigns and the prosecution of persons or businesses who commit offences against animals used in intensive farming or through commercial and/or recreational practices."
The following year, in May 2011, Jan Cameron donated 60 acres on the Freycinet Peninsula
to start one of three Devil Islands; safe havens for Tasmanian devil
breeding populations to be isolated from populations infected with the devil facial tumour disease
. She has also supported Brightside Animal Sanctuary, an animal sanctuary in Cygnet, Tasmania
, through the Elsie Cameron Fund, for several years. Jan Cameron has also continued to donate profits from all Chickfeed stores in Tasmania to various charities, for the last two years.
In 2006 she sold 51% of her share in Kathmandu to a private equity firm for $247 million Australian dollars, and several months later she sold her remaining 49% of the company.
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
(born 1963) is Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's forth richest woman and the founder of the Kathmandu clothing company. She currently lives in Bicheno
Bicheno, Tasmania
Bicheno is a town on the east coast of Tasmania, Australia, 185 km north-east of Hobart on the Tasman Highway, with a population of 640. It is part of the municipality of Glamorgan/Spring Bay...
, Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. She currently runs various companies and business interests, which together span Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Australia. She is a philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
, and avid supporter of animal rights.
In 2006, Jan Cameron sold 51% of her share of Kathmandu for $247 million Australian dollars, making her the fourth richest woman in Australia.
On the 14th of April, 2010 she was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
by the Governor General of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
for "services to business and philanthropy."
Jan Cameron recently gained media attention in Tasmania when she and Graeme Wood, founder of Wotif.com
Wotif.com
Wotif.com is a website that provides a reservation service for hotels in Australia, as well as some international hotels. It was created in March 2000 by Graeme Wood, and is based in Brisbane, Australia. It has since established offices in Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United...
purchased the Triabunna native forest woodchip mill, and began plans to turn it in to an eco-resort. After the the Premier of Tasmania Lara Giddings
Lara Giddings
Larissa Tahireh "Lara" Giddings is an Australian politician and the 44th and current Premier of Tasmania since January 2011...
contacted her, it was agreed that the woodchip mill would continue for 4-5 years, before it is converted in to the planned eco-resort.
Companies
Jan Cameron is currently the owner of Retail Adventures, the biggest retail chain in Australia, which brings in 1 billion dollars in revenue a year. She also owns stakes in several other major retail companies; she owns 9% of Pumpkin PatchPumpkin Patch
Pumpkin Patch is a chain store based in Auckland, New Zealand. Mostly focuses on in the design, marketing, retail, and wholesale of children’s clothing primarily in New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States...
, an unknown percentage of Macpac
Macpac
Macpac Wilderness Equipment was a New Zealand company, and now brand specialising in outdoor adventure equipment. It is best known for backpacks and sleeping bags...
, and 19% of the Postie Plus Group. She also owns Nood (New Objects of Desire), a Canadian and New Zealand furniture retail company.
Charity work
Jan Cameron is a philanthropistPhilanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
and stout supporter of animal rights and various charities. In 2010 she founded the Animal Justice Fund, donating five million dollars to start the organization, which states its mission as "to promote the cause of animal welfare through strategic litigation, public awareness campaigns and the prosecution of persons or businesses who commit offences against animals used in intensive farming or through commercial and/or recreational practices."
The following year, in May 2011, Jan Cameron donated 60 acres on the Freycinet Peninsula
Freycinet Peninsula
Freycinet Peninsula is a large peninsula in eastern Tasmania, Australia. It is located north of Schouten Island, at . It is the site of Freycinet National Park....
to start one of three Devil Islands; safe havens for Tasmanian devil
Tasmanian Devil
The Tasmanian devil is a carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae, now found in the wild only on the Australian island state of Tasmania. The size of a small dog, it became the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world following the extinction of the thylacine in 1936...
breeding populations to be isolated from populations infected with the devil facial tumour disease
Devil facial tumour disease
Devil facial tumour disease is an aggressive non-viral transmissible parasitic cancer—which likely originated in Schwann cells—that affects Tasmanian devils. The first "official case" was described in 1996, in Australia...
. She has also supported Brightside Animal Sanctuary, an animal sanctuary in Cygnet, Tasmania
Cygnet, Tasmania
Cygnet is a small town 55 kilometres south west of Hobart, in the Huon Valley in Tasmania. At the 2006 census, Cygnet had a population of 839.-History:...
, through the Elsie Cameron Fund, for several years. Jan Cameron has also continued to donate profits from all Chickfeed stores in Tasmania to various charities, for the last two years.
Kathmandu
Jan Cameron founded the Kathmandu adventure wear company alongside John Pawson in 1987 after selling Alp Sports, her first company. She started by sewing sleeping bags to sell in Alp Sports, before she and her ex-husband bought half of Kathmandu and changed to selling Chinese-produced products. In 1991 Kathmandu brought back Alp Sports, therefore expanding Kathmandu in to New Zealand, and then in 1994 John Pawson was bought out by Jan Cameron and her ex-husband Bernard Wicht, leaving Wicht and Cameron as the sole owners of Kathmandu. Two years later in 1996, Jan Cameron bought out her ex-husbands share of Kathmandu.In 2006 she sold 51% of her share in Kathmandu to a private equity firm for $247 million Australian dollars, and several months later she sold her remaining 49% of the company.
External links
- Behind Australian Story: The Story of the Animal Justice Fund
- Animal Justice Fund
- Animal Magnetism
- http://www.abc.net.au/austory/specials/animalfarm/default.htmAustralian StoryAustralian StoryAustralian Story is a national weekly documentary series, produced and broadcast on ABC Television.Since 1996 Australian Story has featured many Australians from diverse backgrounds and reputations...
- Animal Farm (Featuring Jan Cameron)]