Meet the team
Jenny – Founder & Owner
Jenny came to the UK in the early 1970's and worked in the commercial department of the Ecuadorian Embassy for 10 years. She then started a number of businesses, importing many different items from Ecuador including bananas, coffee and roses, before falling in love with the craft of weaving Panamas in Cuenca.. the rest is history!. She loves feeding the team lunch in Luton and has a neverending love affair with developing new and exciting Panama styles.
Mavi - Director
Mavi joined her mother, Jenny, at the company in 2017 and now oversees every aspect of the business, from customer service and product development to production in the Hat Factory. After an 18-year career with a major multinational company, she decided to embrace her entrepreneurial spirit and has never looked back.
Passionate about preserving the tradition of genuine Panama hats while continuing to grow the business, Mavi works closely with the team to ensure every hat meets the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship.
Outside of work, Mavi is married to Alex and is a proud mum to two sons. She enjoys cycling to the Hat Factory whenever she can, and her energetic Sprocker Spaniel, Lyra, sometimes joins her at the factory, where she’s become a much-loved member of the team.
Ehioze – Hat Maker
Ehioze joined the team in 2018 having been looking for a new opportunity for a long time. He had shown an interest in hats in his youth and loved the idea of learning hat making as a vocation. He completed an apprenticeship in textiles in 2019 with The Panama Hat Company and has since been learning all the elements of making panamas and felts. He is really proud of his achievements and loves coming to work everyday!
Denise – Accounts & Administration
Denise joined the team in 2018 after previously working in customer services for HMRC. She looks after much of the accounts and administration behind the scenes, helping to keep the business running smoothly.
She enjoys the variety of working for a family business, where no two days are the same. Outside of work, Denise is a busy mum to two children and values the balance between work and family life.
Maura – Packing & Quality Control
Maura has been a valued member of the team for over 20 years and plays an essential role in packing and quality control. Every hat is carefully inspected by Maura before it leaves the Hat Factory, ensuring it meets the high standards our customers expect.
Outside of work, Maura runs a Peruvian restaurant with her husband and is a talented cook, bringing the same care and attention to detail to everything she does.
Tina – Hat Machinist
Tina joined the team in 2020 having previously worked at Olney headwear for over 20 years. Her hat machining skills are legendary at Olney and we are very lucky to have her with us – to train and teach as well as work for us. She specialises in band tacking (dressing the ribbon on the hat) and loves being able to put the final touch on the hat, which makes the hat come to life! Tina has two lovely grandchildren who she looks after alongside working with us.
Catherine - Hat Machinist
Catherine has over 20 years of hat machining experience. She worked at Olney Headwear and other hat makers during her career and now and is really pleased she can continue hat machining with us, “...given that there are so few hat making jobs available in Luton these days”. She worked several of the machines and has been really pleased to pick up a few new skills using the wiring and turning methods for the first time. We are really lucky to have you Catherine!
John - Blocker
John was semi-retired when The Panama Hat Company asked him to come and help train the team – he has a staggering 50 years of hat making experience, having joined the hat trade at the age of 16. He started blocking hats, and also moved into cutting and machining. He has been training Ehioze to use our vintage Italian “Michelagnoli” press and is delighted with the results – “...bringing an old machine to life is very satisfying!”
Sophie - Marketing & Brand Development
Sophie joined the team in February 2026 and works across marketing, social media, website development and customer communications. She enjoys sharing the story behind our genuine Panama hats and showcasing the craftsmanship that makes each one unique.
From creating newsletters and product descriptions to photographing new collections and welcoming visitors to our factory, Sophie loves helping customers discover the perfect Panama hat. As a busy mum of four daughters, with a husband and a much-loved Golden Retriever, she’s no stranger to multitasking and brings that same energy and enthusiasm to everything she does.
Maria - Resident Designer & Milliner
Maria Cuji is our resident designer and milliner, based in her studio in London. Having worked closely with the Ecuadorian artisans in their workshops, and understanding the way they work has helped her develop skills that she took with her to study Textiles BA at Central Saint Martins. From Ecuador herself, Maria prides herself in using recycled materials to make her spectacular fascinators from panama straw. She is available for commissions and loves making unique one-off pieces for customers.
