Jacqueline Gold, the founder of the Ann Summers lingerie and sex toys chain, died at the age of 62.
After seven years of treatment for breast cancer, the businesswoman died on Thursday evening.
Ms Gold is credited with growing the company from four backstreet shops to a multi-million pound enterprise with locations across the UK.
In 2016, she was awarded the CBE for services to entrepreneurship, women in business, and social enterprise.
It is with unspeakable sadness that Ann Summers confirms our amazing executive chair Jacqueline Gold CBE passed away yesterday evening with her husband Dan, daughter Scarlett, sister Vanessa, and brother-in-law Nick by her side,” Ms Gold’s family said in a statement.
She was… a business activist who championed female entrepreneurs who wanted to improve the working environment for women.
Jacqueline courageously battled stage 4 breast cancer for seven years and was an absolute warrior throughout her cancer journey,” said Ann Summers CEO and Jacqueline’s sister, Vanessa.
She was a trailblazer, a visionary, and the most incredible woman in life, which makes this news all the more difficult to bear.”
Ms Gold transformed the Ann Summers brand by making it more female-friendly.
She launched a new Tupperware-style party service exclusively for women, which was an instant success.
The increased revenue generated by this resulted in the expansion of the company’s High Street stores. It currently operates 88 stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland.