Jacqueline Gold, the founder of ANN SUMMER, died at the age of 62, just weeks after her father, West Ham chairman, died.
After joining the company at the age of 19, the British tycoon transformed it into a multi-million pound enterprise.
Her incredible success propelled her to the 16th richest woman in the United Kingdom, with a net worth of around £470 million.
Jacqueline was West Ham United chairman David Gold’s daughter, who died in January.
The mogul, who has been battling breast cancer for seven years, recently paid tribute to her “hero” father.
“We will always be so proud of you Dad,” she captioned a moving series of photos of David over the years.
Today, Jacqueline’s family expressed “unspeakable sadness” over her tragic death.
She died with her husband, daughter, sister, and brother-in-law by her side, according to reports.
The family added: “Jacqueline’s death comes just two months after the passing of her father, David Gold, the Joint-Chairman of West Ham United FC.
“The thoughts and sincere condolences of everyone at Ann Summers are with Jacqueline’s husband Dan, daughter Scarlett, and sister Vanessa at this extremely sad time.”
Jacqueline’s sister Vanessa added: “Jacqueline courageously battled stage 4 breast cancer for seven years and was an absolute warrior throughout her cancer journey.
“In life she was a trailblazer, a visionary, and the most incredible woman, all of which makes this news that much harder to bear.
“As a family, we are utterly heartbroken at the loss of our wife, mum, sister, and best friend”.
Ann Summers was transformed by Jacqueline from a run-of-the-mill sex shop into a female-friendly chain that now dominates the High Street.
The tycoon was famous for introducing the “Party Plan” concept, which saw “parties” held at customers’ homes.
Women would be given presentations on sex toys and lingerie, as well as play party games, with the exception that men were not permitted.
Ann Summers’ clever plan allowed her to circumvent laws prohibiting the public display of sex toys.
Jacqueline became CEO of the company in 1987, and it now has 140 stores across the UK and Ireland.
Since then, a slew of celebrities, including Love Island’s Tasha Ghouri and Megan Barton-Hanson, have modelled for the brand.
Ann Summers purchased the Knickerbox brand in 2000, and it now has a concession in every store.
Away from the boardroom, Jacqueline has appeared on The Apprentice’s celebrity edition and the ITV show Fortune – Million Pound Giveaway.
Her family praised the tycoon, who received a CBE in 2016 for services to entrepreneurship, women in business, and social enterprise.
They went on to say: “Jacqueline is best known for founding Ann Summers and leading a company run entirely by women for women.
“She was also an advocate for women in business, championing female entrepreneurs who wanted to improve the working environment for women.
“From an internship to Chief Executive Officer in less than 10 years, her determination and commitment to creating a unique retail offering led to the creation of a multi-channel retail chain, consisting of retail stores, direct sales ambassadors, and a fast growing online and third-party business.
“It is her vision and creativity that saw Ann Summers grow from an unknown brand to a British household name and stable of the British high street.”
