Roy Kwarten

Started a 6 month support mission for the Copenhagen store (flagship store of the Nordics) which resulted in a relocation after this term. The store manager was absent for a sabbatical in 2021 and after a short return went on maternity leave to not come back. Stepping up in my role I have been managing the store with our (junior) operations manager from december 2021 ongoing.

- Managed the store and sales team according to the values of the House and making sure that it represents as a true Hermes ambassador towards clients, with a focus on local clientele in Denmark and southern Sweden.
- Determining local product offer with support of the buying team during 4 sessions in Paris per year.
- Gained the trust of the team (as 'outsider from another store') an ensured the best possible working atmosphere to provide a motivating and stimulating environment with 100% retention from 2022 onwards, which was a great turnaround from previous years. These conditions allowed for amazing store performance in terms of growth in turnover but also local share.
- Being responsible for reaching the store objectives in terms of budget and service.
- Making the store a 'hygge' destination for our clients, investing more in our local clientele, and actively propose and implement events in our store together with the Retail Merchandising Team and the Communications Team (for Hermes in the making at the Danish Architecture Centre).
- Being the driving force behind the successful 'Made to measure event' (men's bespoke tailoring) and trunk show for women's ready to wear for FW22, our Yoga event and Woof Days in 2023, which was not only a great commercial success, but also highly appreciated by our local customers. This event was also the catalyst for improving the growth of our ready to wear segmentation in Copenhagen.
- By creating a great team dynamic and store atmosphere, my coaching further guided the team to have great Service Excellence results, which saw Copenhagen's results turn around completely and being not only the best in our region, but also in the top of Europe. One of my team members is currently in Oslo to continue her manager-in-training programme that was initiated in Copenhagen.

As assistant manager I supported the store manager in all daily tasks in our shop in shop in the department store De Bijenkorf. Being one of the top 3 stores in Benelux, until the decision was made to exclude exotic materials from the department store chain (Selfridge/Bijenkorf) and the group decided not too immediately replace those items with more stock (due to production constraints).

• Responsible for coaching and managing the team on the floor.
• Scheduling and supporting HR/Finance in salary admin before those respective departments expanded.
• Writing monthly and weekly reports.
• Coaching and training the team in Hermes values and product knowledge.
• Coaching and training in Service Excellence, which resulted in 2020 of being one of the Top 3 stores in Europe.
• Being part of the buying for certain metiers, twice a year, and being fully involved in the preparation for this.
• Doing support missions in Antwerp and Stockholm (absence of managers and opening of our Swedish store).

From 2014 to 2015 responsible for setting up a new outlet store in Amsterdam Outlet Village Bataviastad. (Recruiting and training a team of 15 SA's and 2 managers).

From October 2015 took over the Lifestyle store in P.C. Hooftstraat, Amsterdam's high end street. Here the collection included the Michael Kors couture line.
As an American based company, with their EU HQ based in London, it is a very KPI driven business.

• Leading the store's daily operations in a KPI driven business. Analyzing performances and making strategies to improve overall business. Providing weekly reports to line management and business peers.
• Coaching my sales and management team by setting up development plans and regular follow-ups.
  Setting up clienteling and tracking clienteling performances.
• Also responsible for training several management members for other stores as well as covering during absence of management in stores. Even though I was based mainly in Bataviastad and PC, I did a lot of support for MK Benelux as somewhat of a troubleshooter (For Maasmechelen Outlet Village I had 2 missions to structuralize and support junior Store management and organize the move to a new premises, support Roermond Outlet, induction Storemanager Den Haag store, regular support Leidse straat Amsterdam flagship store).
• Other tasks include (among others) visual merchandise, planning and scheduling.