The_CEO_Magazine_ANZ_-_December_2016

EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW

environment where there is respect
across the organisation, regardless of
what your title is or what you’re doing,”
she says. “I think that comes across to
the retailers we work with. We try to be
very transparent in what we do, both
internally with our team but also
externally with the stores. When you
are recruited into our team it’s all about
having a shared value set. I’m not about
micro management, I’m very much
about empowering the team around me
and giving them great responsibilities.
We are aligned on the strategy and on
the execution of it but then I empower
them to just run with it. I think people
respond well to being given that level of
autonomy and also responsibility. They
can be proud of what they do and
achieve some great goals. It’s important
to have a happy, healthy work

environment. Our offices are bright

and sunny and decorated very nicely

with artworks; they are spaces that

people enjoy being in. When people

feel valued in the role they’re in, then

they tend to give so much more back. I

have found that works really well.”

Through House of Brands, ALEX AND

ANI is stocked in 120 retail outlets

including nine branded ALEX AND

ANI stores that will open in Australia

before Christmas. Fleye has over 100

stockists. When asked whether more

brands will eventually be added to the

portfolio, Karin shakes her head. “We

have a lot going on already; we have

huge opportunities with ALEX AND

ANI and with Fleye,” she says. “Because

of this massive potential we are going

to be employing managers for each

state and we have invested in a team

of staff who will help us to grow the

brands and successfully bring them to

market. Having staff on the ground,

out there in the different states who

see the stores all the time is the best

way to do that.

“I believe that at the end of the day, if

you have too many brands and you try

to do too many things at once then you

end up not giving any brand the proper

attention it deserves. We are sitting on

huge potential with these two brands

we already have and we want to make

the most of that before we start to look

elsewhere. It may be a while before we

take on another brand. The focus now

is just to develop Fleye and ALEX AND

ANI and to make them key players in

the marketplace. But never say never.”