In September this year, the 49-year-old Thierry week bid farewell to his colleagues in China to return to France. Four years ago, he was SEPHORA appointed executive president of the Asia-Pacific region, responsible for developing the Chinese market. Now, he has successfully completed the task, and return home in silken robes. From April 2005 to lead his newly formed team in Shanghai to open the first store to the present, a short period of 3 years, SEPHORA in 15 Chinese cities set up 41 stores.
And a commitment to strict pioneer, said “Sifu Lan, you can not help but exclaim to her cosmetics line is the Louvre,” CD, Lancome, Estee Lauder, Shiseido, and so these top international brands in Store full debut, the beauty of each person can find their own big brand products, Thierry week also reminded the male compatriots, “the shop there are special areas for men and for men to provide a full range of care Skin, fragrance and cleaning products. ”
Thierry week Sifu Lan joined the group in 1999, began his career in retail cosmetics. Sifu Lan joined the gang from the 120 stores that now more than 600 stores, Zhou Ji Sitan made in such a short period of time to develop so many stores, every day is a challenge, but a day of work People forget.
From 1999 to 2001, as Sifu Lan Zhou Thierry group in charge of finance, information and logistics operation in Europe, general manager of the district. As a fully commercial operation and solid financial management experience in professional managers, Thierry week is mainly responsible for the reorganization of Sifu Lan, as well as the optimization of logistics systems work. From 2002 to 2004 he was appointed as Group General Manager of the Department for International Development and General Manager of Eastern Europe. During this period, he further improved and eventually established the now unified global specialty stores — style layout concise fashion, using all the black-and-white color.
Si Fulan in the work of these years, Thierry weeks going through a lot of experience to open up new markets, is known as a strict and persistent pioneer said. Sifu Lan in Italy to expand the market, the acquisition of 70 small perfume shop, in order to be able to complete it and try to find out 70 specific stores, Thierry week, a home visit to learn more about; he led Greece into the Si Fulan Market, in Greece a very small island, the world’s smallest Sifu Lan opened a shop; the first store in Russia opened on the same day, Piaoqi a snow goose feather, backed the store’s black-and-white color, mood and atmosphere are quite … … All this week so memorable Thierry, “I also wish to thank Sifu Lan in such a wealth of experience, so that I can feel it, no matter which country, France, or Greece’s worth, or Italy or China, although there may be a different language, different expressions, but these kind of inner desire to enjoy the shopping process, and there are many products that are free to touch, to feel that this is the desire of each race Women are in the hearts of the existence of. “To China in 2004 after the first week of Thierry is the formation of the team. He set up the team, most of the attention is the character, “the new project, the staff we need to have a good ability, experience, but more importantly, co-operation of the team.’s Why the initial stage of development, I In the elections on 60% of the people to see this man’s character, 40% see his background and experience. When the company developed to a certain extent, we need to change the standard. Because we need to have the experience and skills more and more, so I will More attention to the staff’s experience and ability. In addition, I have consciously choose from different countries, different regions. Because they have different experiences and feelings, you can communicate with each other and promote the exchange. ”
From April 2005, Sifu Lan in the first store to open in Shanghai, China in the 15 cities of 41 stores, Thierry week that while China’s cosmetics market is still in its initial stage, but the very rapid development, “Now the Asian market, China is the fastest-growing, more and more customers can look forward to a better brand, better quality products to be made available to them. We hope that the development step by step, through the first in China During this period of development, China to understand the needs of the market, and then enter other markets in Asia. ”
Fully prepared to decide everything
In Europe and the United States market, Sifu Lan has been the latest consumer products, to receive the best fashion beauty of the place of information. It is also because Sifu Lan in Europe, the Americas market, the success of weeks to allow Thierry recognized that “no matter in what country, Sifu Lan sales this way, the concept of such a sale, there are needs, Can be successful is to be able to adapt to the needs of customers. It is the success of these two markets, we bring confidence to our ambition to open up other markets, China is one of the most important market of a group. ”
Before coming to China, Sifu Lan Zhou Thierry headquarters to set the goal is simply this success, “there is only one reason for the success because we have been very successful in Europe, the United States was very successful, but we failed in Japan, which SEPHORA Group is a major event. Therefore, 3 years after we came to China, can not fail for the second time, otherwise it means that we may have to give up the Asian market.’s Success here is not the number of stores opened, the number of business The amount, to realize what kind of growth, but to find a suitable model SEPHORA Chinese market and achieve sustainable development. ”
Thus, to enter the China market, Zhou Thierry very carefully in Beijing and Shanghai for a long time made a comparison of market research in the hope of understanding of the Chinese female customers to buy the group’s demand for cosmetics, “Sifu Lan into the market, we found At that time, China market does not exist as such Sifu Lan sales, but through market research, we found that many female customers are looking for such a sale, so we know there are a number of Sifu Lan in China waiting for us Customers, there is great potential for development and development of space. “In addition, market research, Thierry week also found that the Chinese market is different from many in Europe, the Americas market demand, for example,” the China market, skin care products would be more Important than the relatively important to a lot of perfume, which is by the Chinese people’s habits may determine. So, first make full preparations in order to better meet the needs of China to meet the real needs of consumers. ”
Indissoluble bond with China
Prior to joining Sifu Lan Zhou Thierry has served in a number of well-known enterprises, with success in different markets open and operating experience, particularly in France, Valeo Group (auto parts companies) during his tenure, in particular in Asia China’s market will have a deeper understanding. Between 1989 and 1991, Thierry week as Valeo South Korea’s first joint venture company’s financial director, came to Asia to open up the Korean market. 1994 to 1996, Thierry week as Valeo’s China president, then on, Thierry started the week with China’s bond. In January 1994, for the first time into China, Beijing for the first time set foot on land Thierry weeks, just in time for the Beijing a rare rainy day. In China, the weather has always been a good omen.
Deeply fascinated by the ancient culture of Thierry week, as all of China’s first contact with foreigners, is the favorite leisure riding a bicycle in the small alleys of old Beijing, around one side of the feelings of the Forbidden City’s dazzling glazed tile Guanghua, while feeling Millennium Huiqiang a deep emotional heat. But many French people do not like is that he is not quite like to go to various museums, but prefer to see the city’s natural scenery, very comfortable in the city walk, construction and real appreciation of the crowd, “I love China But I love China is not confined to a museum to see some of the furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and then there are a number of pictures to tell you that China is kind of how I would have preferred the city look so real Chinese style. ”
Si Fulan in Asia after China and president of the district to set foot in his capacity as president of the Beijing land Thierry weeks, but no longer have to ride that year had series of small alleys, he deeply felt the earth-shaking changes in China, which Changes in both his surprise, makes the regrets he fishes with, “In order to better development in the future, the city has been rebuilt in the ongoing restructuring, do more and more modern, more full of stylish atmosphere, However, some of the very kind of old alleys, old houses have been removed. My wife and I are very much like the traditional Chinese culture, as a foreigner, I feel a bit sorry about this, I feel a lot of Chinese traditional culture, things are gradually disappearing Of. ”
Maybe in the long-term international big reason the company, Thierry week and a staff of different cultural backgrounds to get along the principle of “First of all, I adhere to their principles and the sake of discussion. My decisions are rational thinking carefully After. I will not follow the crowd, if you left me on my left, you let me right on my right, employees will not believe me. There is mutual respect. If you respect the people around you Often explain to them what you are doing or not doing the reasons that people will understand and believe you. To China, I will try my best to understand China, but I will not be fully in accordance with the Chinese way of doing things, because I can not China has become, so I said to employees, you should not count on my full accordance with your way of thinking and doing things, I will not force you in accordance with my way of thinking and doing things, but that does not prevent us from working together, with their Experience and style. “