What is your profession?
My role as a group leader at THOM in the Offer department involves overseeing all activities that contribute to the distribution and sale of watches within our various brands. The challenge is to ensure that all our customers, no matter how different, can find what they are looking for in the collections offered in our stores. To achieve this, my tasks with the team I lead are varied: market trend analysis, product selection, development of private labels, assortment and stock management, supplier relations, negotiation of commercial conditions, commercial animation, and category performance monitoring.
What is your background?
My professional journey has been marked by enriching and complementary experiences in product marketing, purchasing, and product development. I started at Hermès, where I gained expertise in luxury and leather goods. Then, I joined Metro Cash and Carry for buying and range management missions. In 2008, I joined Histoire d’Or in the Offer department as a Product Manager.
A few years later, an opportunity arose to move to San Francisco, where I joined the Sephora US teams in private label development. Back in France in 2014, my desire was to reunite with the THOM teams to contribute to the Group’s development.
Can you describe a typical day?
To my great pleasure, I don’t have a typical day because the tasks are so varied that it’s necessary to constantly adapt to new challenges. I prefer to talk about a typical schedule, which ensures the execution of operations: strategy construction, contractualization, range and purchasing management, stock reinforcements…
What inspires you in your profession?
Customer satisfaction! It is at the heart of all our actions and decisions. It drives us to constantly improve, innovate, and aim for operational excellence.
Among the 5 values of the Group, which ones resonate with you the most? How do you experience them daily?
Simplicity. Having easy and direct human relationships with my colleagues or providers. Also, I strive to establish simple execution processes and deliver friendly and accessible presentations:
Boldness. In my profession, it is important to dare to propose new categories. I dare to take measured risks to achieve my goals. I like to encourage the creativity of my team to bring forth new ideas.
An anecdote?
One year, just before Christmas, I revamped the brand assortments in stores to introduce a young watch brand that was starting to catch the attention of our customers, into 100 Histoire d’Or boutiques. This brand quickly transformed into a major player in the market, and THOM was able to benefit from this advantage through quick positioning. Since then, the search for future trends remains at the forefront of our concerns.
The main qualities for your job?
You need to be an excellent communicator, both with cross-functional teams and with suppliers. In parallel, you need to be a good manager and have a fundamentally results-oriented mindset to guarantee the financial result of the category. Having vision and the ability to adapt quickly are also key.
What advice would you give to someone starting out?
Constantly learn, stay informed, and collaborate constructively. And above all… stay passionate to tackle challenges with enthusiasm and determination.