Bios

David Lennie

David Lennie currently serves as CEO of Signature Prints. He was born and schooled in New Zealand and studied accountancy at Auckland University in the 1960s. David Lennie now lives in Woollahra, Sydney, Australia, with his wife Helen.

With an interest and talent in the fast and furious sporting arena, David channeled his talents into sports such as snow ski racing and keel boating racing. From 1967 to 1969 David Lennie travelled through Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States to attend motor industry sales and management courses, while spending two months at Chrysler in Detroit.

Prior to returning to New Zealand in 1969 to pursuit his career in motor industry, David lived in London for a bit and was hanging out in the bohemian district of Chelsea with artist and assorted colourful riff-raff. This is the cornerstone of his love and appreciation for art.

In 1977, Lennie became involved in a small hand-printed wallpaper company in New Zealand. In 1988 he moved to Sydney, Australia and his involvement with Florence Broadhurst began through acquisition of Signature Prints. In 1999 Signature Prints began the long road of internationalising the excellence of the Florence Broadhurst design library and today, Signature Prints manufacturers and exports (to 27 countries) textiles, wallpaper limited edition art, lifestyle and homeware products.

David Lennie loves art, and especially has a passion for discovering new artists that Signature Prints can take under its wing and promote. He is also heavily focused on education and is committed to giving students work experience at the studio and factory, as well as giving talks to educational institutions. With his enthusiasm for design and the visual arts, he strongly believes that being a thriving business Signature Prints also has a duty to preserve and archive artists' work for future generations.

Helen Lennie

New Zealand born Helen Lennie is the Marketing Director of Signature Prints and is the human dynamo of the business, beautifully complimenting the ambitions and vision of her husband David Lennie, the CEO of Signature Prints.

During her early career, Helen worked for luxury brand Chanel. While working at Chanel, she learnt everything about in the high-end luxury and fashion business as well as the ultra-demanding customer behaviours.

One of Helen Lennie's main roles at Signature Prints is making sure clients, demanding excellence in their purchases of luscious fabrics, magnificent wallpapers and much sought-after lifestyle accessories, get exactly what they want.

Helen also hires the crème de la crème of the dozens of people who are eager to work at Signature Prints, choosing those who are the hardest working, the most creative, the most fun to be around, and above all, those who share her passion for the business.

To find out more about The Lennie’s and the ins and outs of Signature Prints, click here to download Helen Lennie’s fascinating guest blog for the “Design Files.”