Cadar Names Swoonery Founder as Its New CEO

New York—Cadar has landed a jewelry industry innovator as its new CEO.

Jean Poh, founder of e-commerce company Swoonery, has been appointed to the position.

Poh’s experience in jewelry mixes old school and new school experiences. She’s a fourth-generation jewelry industry professional with 13 years of experience building and operating a luxury jewelry business, according to a brand press release.

She launched Swoonery in 2015, which still operates today. It’s known for representing one of the earliest online-only channels for fine jewelry. 

Cadar launched the same year from founder and creative director Michal Kadar. The gold- and diamonds-focused brand received quick accolades, debuting at Bergdorf Goodman a year later and snapping up awards like an FGI Rising Star Award and Couture Design Award at the jewelry trade show. 

“Jean’s knowledge and passion for the fine jewelry industry, coupled with her strategic vision for the brand, will enable us to take Cadar to new heights together,” Kadar said. 

“Her understanding of our customers’ desire for self-expression and her commitment to creative excellence mirror my own. I am excited to welcome Jean and look forward to a brilliant collaboration.”

Named one of Luxury Daily’s Luxury Women to Watch in 2017, Poh has professional experience beyond the jewelry world. 

She has been an advisor for and angel investor in various start-ups.

In her first career, Poh worked as a corporate attorney at Curtis in New York and Morrison & Foerster in Shanghai, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and venture capital transactions. 

Poh earned a B.A. from Barnard College of Columbia University and a J.D. from Cornell Law School. She also holds a Graduate Diamonds diploma from GIA. 

“I’m thrilled to join the Cadar team and very grateful for this exciting opportunity to grow an exceptional product into a global luxury brand,” she said.

“When I founded Swoonery, my mission was to provide a platform for visionary designers to become brands, and in doing so I always stressed the importance of unique design and impeccable craftsmanship. Cadar is unequivocally the embodiment of both. Michal Kadar’s award-winning designs reflect the expanding community of powerful, feminine women who are our customers.”