Judy Naake is a successful businesswoman best known for being at the helm of the self-tanning industry as the Director of St Tropez. Already an established name within the world of beauty after working for Decleor, Darphin and Australian Body Care, Judy was offered the brand St Tropez in the hope of expanding and making it great. Determined to see the success of the self-tan, Judy committed her savings to the business, a gamble since proven worthwhile with a turnover of £17 million by 1995. After many successful years with St Tropez, Judy sold the company to Lloyds Capital after unfortunately being diagnosed twice with breast cancer. Today Judy is estimated to be worth a staggering £30 million, a testament to her business prowess.
After creating steady foundations for St Tropez and becoming a respected individual in the beauty industry, Judy’s brand has since garnered the support of various celebrities. The self-tan product has been used and endorsed by the likes of Take That, Victoria Beckham, Cat Deeley and Donna Air to name a few. After selling St Tropez in 2002, Judy has continued to develop her credible reputation becoming a shareholder in a wide variety of businesses. She holds shares in businesses such as The Perfume Studio, skincare and hair brand Mellor & Russell as well as Teddy & Me a premature baby clothing company. She is also often found assisting her son with his business, called Airbase.
Alongside her business ventures, Judy has also committed time to appear across the screens of British television. In particular, she is known for appearing on ITV’s This Morning, joining the ‘Mumpreneur’ series as a judge. It was from this series that Judy became a shareholder in Teddy & Me, working with a finalist of the show to provide the specialist clothing for premature babies. After being diagnosed with cancer twice herself, Judy is a passionate supporter of Maggie’s Nottingham, a cancer charity and hospice. She is also committed to helping other entrepreneurs succeed, offering help in developing brands to become industry leaders as hers was.
Throughout her career, Judy has been highly rewarded for her savvy business decisions and prowess. Back in 2018, she was appointed MBE, in recognition of her service to both the community and for her passionate philanthropy. She has also received the Sunday Times Cool Brands Award for St Tropez and continues to be recognised in countless magazine awards. Now predominantly sought as a public speaker, Judy is called upon to deliver on how she took St Tropez from humble beginnings to a multi-million-pound industry-leading business. Having spearheaded industry-dominating businesses, Judy knows just what it takes to thrive and succeed in a fast-paced industry, engaging corporate clients on how they too can reach the top of the market.
