Leading Gems: Unveiling The Visionary Women Leading Cornish Gems

Michelle Baillie, Managing Director

“At the age of 16 I had a strong passion for travel and knew I wanted to be part of the travel and tourism industry. I left school without any decent qualifications, academia wasn’t for me.

“I pursued my dream job and across three decades I achieved a huge leadership role in a big corporation, working my way up from an apprentice, pushing myself out of my comfort zone whilst doing a full time senior role. I achieved a degree in tour operations management. I’m very proud to have progressed in a big corp in a male dominated boardroom.

“Taking a risk and a different direction in my career, then hitting rock bottom as COVID hit, and being out of work for the first time in 27 years career history. Bouncing back, through resilience, and self-belief, by being adaptable and open to new opportunities.

“I am now Managing Director of Cornish Gems. I find myself learning and navigating my way through this exciting, and scary-at-times rollercoaster ride! I realised I don’t need to know or control everything, so I allow my team around me to do what they are experts at. My advice to young, ambitious women? Be brave, work hard, believe in yourself, and never give up!”

Tara Donovan-Soltys, Director of Interior Design

“I was raised in Falmouth after moving down from Northwest London in a predominantly female household, just my Mum, Sister and me. 

“As a teenager growing up in Cornwall in the 80’s with not very much going on the rest of the world seemed very tempting.  So tempting I left the familiarity of Cornwall and travelled extensively in my design role in the luxury international hotel market.  I was lucky enough to work on some incredible projects and enlisted my Mum ( a furniture decorator ) and Sister ( Phd artist ) to create some incredible bespoke work, a 12′ breakfront full chinoiserie decorated cabinet and ten ShangXi 8′ high faux glazed tortoiseshell display cabinets for a premier hotel group still remain firmly fixed in my visual memory. If there was a way to make a design concept come to life I could even engage my talented family to help me achieve the vision if the available artisans weren’t up to the task! Eventually, my wanderlust satiated I was drawn back to Cornwall to bring up my then young Son.

“A request to put together a super yacht interior led me into the male dominated luxury yacht world where I remained for 17 happy years travelling internationally but remaining based in Cornwall, meeting some inspirational characters along the way.  Initially my colleagues were less than complimentary about having a diminutive female working alongside which only increased my focus on ensuring excellence, attaining the best knowledge and experience to bring success..it worked!
Never one to let the grass grow under my feet I set upon a fresh challenge.  I have been involved in the holiday letting business for 10+ years and thought it may be time to shake the dust off my design credentials and put them to good use,  understanding the practical requirements of the industry gave me great insight into how to create great spaces. 

“Engaging with the team at Cornish Gems was the most amazing meeting of minds.  A strong team of talented people that have all the qualities I was looking for.  Two years ago I joined the interior design department, initially covering maternity leave.  

“It seems my love of Cornish Gems was reciprocated and I became a full time permanent member initially heading up the interior design team.  I am very proud to have been invited to become Director of Interior Design in January this year.  Supported by Phoebe and Charlie (she/her), both first class degree graduates from Falmouth School of Art who happily are able to use their degree skills every day without leaving Cornwall.  Their fresh approach brings new ideas and processes to ensure we stay at the top of our game.  It is a pleasure to be able to share the knowledge I have gained over the years and I look forward to very many more exciting years with Cornish Gems.

“Now married, myself and my husband collectively have six grown up children, all living locally and massively passionate about Cornwall, so much so that one Son even had “This is my Cornwall” as his wedding anthem last year!”

Nadia Macer-Wright, Founder and Director

As the founder of Cornish Gems, I have had the privilege of leading a pioneering journey in the

luxury holiday accommodation sector, marked by innovation, sustainability, and a commitment to ethical business practices. Since launching the company in 2007, at a time when the field was dominated by traditional male leadership, my mission has been to redefine what luxury travel means in Cornwall, emphasising not just the quality of the experience but also its social and environmental impact.

My path has been one of overcoming many challenges and industry barriers and in May 2023 my husband and I chose to take full ownership of the business.

Along the way, Cornish Gems has earned significant accolades, including industry awards and most recently, the distinguished B Corp certification, reflecting our dedication to balancing profit with purpose and striving to be a regenerative business.

I firmly believe that true success comes from a holistic approach to business and leading from the heart.  It’s not just about financial achievement but refocusing success around people, their well-being and protecting the planet.  At Cornish Gems, we’re centred upon creating a culture of collaboration, innovation, teamwork, respect and kindness.  

My leadership philosophy centres on ethical practices, community engagement, empowerment and investment, setting an example for others to follow and demonstrating that a business can thrive by making a positive impact.

For me it’s about inspiring change and empowering others to integrate success with a greater purpose. I am committed to leading Cornish Gems in a way that not only achieves our business goals but also contributes to a better world for us and the next generation.

Philippa Snell, Director of Brand & Guest Experience

Proudly Cornish and a miner’s daughter, I feel both lucky and proud to be leading the brand, marketing and guest experience for Cornish Gems. I could never have imagined myself in this job 25 years ago but at 14 I wanted to be an air stewardess so perhaps I always subconsciously knew I wanted to work in travel, and being severely passionate about Cornwall it seems like it was meant to be (with a touch of tenacity along the way).

A hearing impairment put a rapid end to the air stewardess ambition and I left school with no idea what I wanted to do. I went into a business administration apprenticeship as a secretary and after a couple administration roles, I then spent 10 years working in social housing community engagement and communications.

Forever hungry to learn, and fortunate to have great employer support I obtained various qualifications and gained an interest in events management and destination marketing that culminated in a 12 month sabbatical and obtaining a First Class Leisure Marketing degree from Bournemouth University at 28.

This set me on the path I’m on today and after five years ‘climbing the ladder’ and working with leading travel brands and the DMO in Cornwall for a London-Cornwall PR agency, I got what my adult-self realised is my dream job – leading the marketing and sales for Cornish Gems, a brand that is equally as proud to be local and matches the quality of Cornwall with its portfolio of remarkable properties, and attentive service to guests and owners.

I’ve been with Cornish Gems for six years now, and despite three periods of absence for my two wonderful children and not so wonderful cancer, I am proud to be where I am working, as part of the senior team, at the forefront of a supportive, innovative and planet-conscious employer.