November 14th, 2025 | Bvlgari: Talk with Emily Burton, Director of High Jewelry Client Development

This week, the Georgetown Retail & Luxury Association was honored to welcome Emily Bruton (SFS ’10), Director of High Jewelry Client Development at Bulgari, for an engaging conversation moderated by Emma Shake. Bruton, who began her career in the Peace Corps in Burkina Faso before entering the world of luxury, shared how her unconventional path continues to shape her work at one of the world’s most iconic maisons.

In her current role, Bruton focuses on client engagement and business development, serving as a connector between Bulgari’s high jewelry clients, wealth management partners, and cultural institutions such as the Kennedy Center. With travel comprising nearly 75% of her schedule, she emphasized that her work centers on building deep relationships and crafting highly personalized experiences, whether offering clients private access to the Louvre or hosting exclusive events at the Doge’s Palace in Venice.

Bruton discussed how her entrepreneurial mindset has guided her through a series of first-of-its-kind roles, each rooted in her passion for art, culture, and craftsmanship. Her Peace Corps experience helped her understand artisanal traditions, ultimately leading her to roles at Van Cleef & Arpels and later Bulgari, where she continues to champion the human artistry behind pieces that can take up to 18 months to create. She described jewelry as uniquely timeless within luxury and an asset class that blends material value with artistic heritage. To thrive in the industry, she advised students to stay curious, embrace pivots, and cultivate full, well-rounded lives. “Luxury is a people business,” she concluded. “The connections you build, those are what truly endure.”