As someone who has had over 27 years' experience within the Swiss market-place, how have you found the Swiss market & working environment has changed over these years?

I would say the changes came from the European Union, as Switzerland didn’t join the EU this had a big impact on our economy. Bilateral agreements were made resulting in pressure on the Swiss Market companies and industries to be more competitive, suddenly you had a group with demands and regulations that we were not part of but still we export to the EU with 60% going to the German market. We must be competitive on the price. Switzerland is a country which people will relocate to for work which gives us an excellent quality of employees, making CH more flexible which is key to surviving as an individual and company. As a company, currency is a worry, before Brexit the Swiss Bank froze its currency which gave pressure to export and import in turn adding to costs with the revenue of the company which in turn adds costs across the board.

What, in your opinion, have been the drivers for these changes?

The recession in 2008 definitely made an impact on the retail industry, from that we have learnt and are still learning how to recover and how to regain our status. Migration has grown as a direct result of the recession impacting on the workforce.

What advice would you offer to someone moving to Switzerland?

Be open to new experiences, as things will be different, Switzerland is an open country that embraces people. Do research and make yourself aware of the cost of living, this can come as a surprise to some who relocate. Make yourself aware of the language skills you will require also.

What challenges await your business and how do you hope to overcome them?

One challenge we had was to reduce costs. We were aware that 70% of our revenue was coming from Europe and we needed to balance this with ensuring staffing costs were met. We reviewed the efficiency of our staff and found that now staff are 20-30% more efficient. We have achieved this by hiring teams that work well together and not by just looking at a fashion background.

What excites you about working for Veldhoven?

The fashion industry it is a very dynamic sector to work in and Veldhoven is no exception. Being in the Finance department of this sector it is not always easy to predict retail forecasts, due to weather, economy and trend influences. The life time of a style is very short as this governed by the seasons, once the stock has been removed from the shops it will then go to an outlet which leads to larger amounts of stock. We pride ourselves on producing sophisticated products which means we hire skilled people, which makes for a very interesting workplace.

What are your personal motivators?

I personally get great satisfaction from following business processes, I also enjoy the social aspect of the fashion industry and the influences by our Dutch shareholders.

When did you decide to explore a career in this area and why?

To be very honest I had a colleague who introduced me to someone in his network who knew of the position as Veldhoven. The fascination for me is how the products are made and being able to test them, I genuinely like fashion.

What was the worst / best interview experience you have had?

I believe that within the first 10 minutes of an interview you gain a good or bad feeling of that person, I don’t believe you need 2 hours. I like people that listen, and are direct with their answers. It is a lot to do with intuition, I believe in content, if I’m interviewing a controller I will cover their analysis, what is important to them, how they manage a business case and listen to their approach. Maybe offer half a day in the office to gain a clear insight into the business. Always check references, and communication skills. Team fit is everything.

Describe yourself in 3 words

straight, engaged, trustworthy

*Views and opinions contained within our Executive Interviews are those of the Interviewee and not views shared by EMEA Recruitment.*