Key takeaways from Fireside chat with AVP Commercial- Eastern Canada and Central US Regions at Cartier
The Global Pandemic has paved way for a continuous change in the business model, with adaptability and resilience becoming constant elements. The Luxury and Retail industry today is witnessing exponential growth driven by high demands. This has in turn created an opportunity for the employees of this sector to look at new horizons and grow within their spheres.
As a leader, it is imperative that we keep our employees motivated to service the industry and our clients. Keeping a laser focus on the growth of the brand by fostering an environment that supports its people’s development and creating a healthy work life balance are key to an organization’s growth and survival. This balance is important now more than ever- and transcends across industries. The idea is to make it easy, fun, and flexible for our employees, especially as they are a part of a brand like Cartier- which provides great opportunities whilst also being challenging and complex.
Cartier is a part of people's stories and their memories that will last a lifetime. The company's teams are thrilled to be a part of such an iconic brand and take great pride and ownership of the things they do every day. They possess great skill sets and expertise in making their consumer feel like they are a part of the family and the brand as a whole. Thus, the job of a leader is to nurture and respect these skills.
To retain your talent there is a need to focus on development; recognize who you have on the inside and invest in their growth. A leader needs to provide their team with a career path to look forward to.
An essential part of a thriving work environment is the aspect of Diversity and Inclusion, and leaders are required to harbor a state of mind that supports and celebrates people's uniqueness and individuality. At Cartier, the culture of the brand nests these values at the very core. They harness a culture that is sincere and put actions behind words.
Some of the initiatives Cartier is currently working on are:
*Red Club- A community that connects global young entrepreneurs
*Cartier Women’s Initiative- An annual international entrepreneurship program that aims to drive change by empowering women impact entrepreneurs.
Talking about the post-pandemic recovery of the industry, we see that the dynamic nature of the Luxury and Retail sector has allowed it to invest in expansions even as the world battles through strains of the corona virus. In order to stay ahead of the game, companies need to build flagships and stay relevant. It is inevitable that global travelers will go oversees when borders start opening up, thereby creating immense opportunity that brands need to be ready for.
There is also an eminent growth in the target audience of the Luxury and Retail industry. Brands need to move with the times and evaluate who their clients are and who they think should be buying their products. With the boom in e-commerce, there is an opportunity in becoming more versatile with the target market.
Looking at the Canadian consumer, we understand that they enjoy their malls and local shopping experiences. However, there is also a rising level of comfort amongst the audience when it comes to shopping online, along which comes the challenge of building customer loyalty, that can only be achieved through delivering an omnichannel and holistic experience for your client and delivering the taste of luxury.
In the end, it is important to acknowledge that cities across the world stand at the cusp of a new era. The Luxury and Retail sector has been standing strong throughout the pandemic and continues to deliver with excellence. Cartier is determined to stay focused on their values of supporting people through Art, Philanthropy and Building Communities- and like always- walk the talk.
About Nancy Williams, AVP Commercial- Eastern Canada and Central US Regions at Cartier
Nancy Williams currently sits on the Board for the France/ Canada Chamber of Commerce of Ontario.
In her current role as AVP of Commercial Activities at Cartier covering Eastern Canada and Central US Regions, she is responsible for leading and driving all commercial strategies and business development initiatives around product, client and teams. Before being named AVP in 2020, Nancy was Regional Director at Cartier for Canada and North East US.
Nancy has a long history in the luxury field holding positions including boutique and regional leadership in both Canada and US markets. In addition to Cartier, she has worked for brands such as Louis Vuitton and Club Monaco.
Nancy is extremely passionate about people development and career pathing. As a member of the Chamber, she has had the opportunity to mentor women leaders from all backgrounds providing support, insight and tools.
Nancy continues educating herself by completing executive leadership studies from INSEAD and Columbia University.
In her spare time, Nancy loves to travel, the South of France and Morocco being her favorite destinations. She also owns two horses and is an avid equestrian.
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