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* With the company being new to the region, renowned
professional in optical industry Carlo
Lorigiola steps into a fresh world with Marchon
Gulf.
* Overseeing the operations of a newly established
business in the Middle East is not a fresh
undertaking for an optical master such as Carlo
Lorigiola. He has been in the industry for over fifteen
years, working with one of the world’s largest
eyewear companies Safilo. With his success
in developing Safilo’s Middle East operations, he
is now faced with the task of delivering Marchon
Gulf to new heights in this part of the world.
* With the Middle East’s luxury market continuing
to enjoy robust growth despite the global downturn,
the region is now a key focus for Marchon Eyewear,
one of the world’s largest manufacturers and distributors
of quality eyewear and sunglasses. The global
player opened its regional headquarters in Dubai
in the first quarter of 2011, immediately increasing
awareness, and trebling its number of key accounts
within 10 months. In addition to representing a portfolio
of high profile brands that include Calvin Klein
Collection, ck Calvin Klein, Diane von Furstenberg,
Emilio Pucci, Fendi, Jil Sander, Karl Lagerfeld, Lacoste,
Michael Kors, Nautica, Nike and Sean John, the company
most recently announced new licensing agreements
for designer heavyweights Salvatore Ferragamo
and Valentino.
*The presence of Marchon Eyewear in the region
also means a huge starting over experience for Carlo
Lorigiola, the appointed Regional Director for Marchon
Gulf. He had hesitations in joining because he
was already doing a great job, being stable and comfortable
in his position at Safilo, but the explicit and
ambitious planning of Marchon Gulf drove Carlo Lorigiola
to think twice and accept the offer. It’s a personal
and professional challenge for him but the future
looks quite bright especially with their goals met (and
delivered) for the first few months of being in business.
With great results in Kuwait plus the untapped
potentials to maximize in Saudi Arabia and the UAE,
the first year of Marchon Gulf is a proof to his capacity
of leading his team to success.
*Aside from his wide and notable experience in
the industry, Carlo Lorigiola’s career has been shaped
up with the relationships he formed throughout the
years. He would have not survived beginning again
with Marchon Gulf without the support of the people
whom he did not only established professional acquaintance
but also built personal friendships with.
Most of the key industry players know and trust
him very well, and that’s another major factor for his
amazing wonders in delivering good results.
*However, not everything runs smoothly even for
the experienced ones like Carlo Lorigiola. Challenges
come by but he is always ready in facing them. In the
beginning, his challenge was to gain the trust of the
client and the space in the shop. To cope with this
challenge, he knows that being a regional office gives
Marchon Gulf a leverage in providing good margin as
there is no intermediary between them and the opticians.
With respect to limited space, it was all about
timing since Marchon Gulf opened during the time
when most opticians had purchased their products
for the first six months. But then, with the promises
meant to be kept, Marchon Gulf witnessed the opticians
placing their orders by end of third quarter of
2011.
*Attributing the success not only to his experience
and relationships in the business, he is firm that the
results of their initial year were an overall mix of different
factors. In fact, these factors that are constant service
oriented are what he loves most in his profession.
From preparing the information about the product for
the opticians and their staff to learn and understand
to communicating with media, plus making sure that
after sales service is efficient and monitoring the retail
business – the summation of these helped him in
staying passionate in his craft and delivering effective
work. Besides, their work does not end in signing and
closing deals – it is simply the beginning. These plus
setting up business in the UAE was again a wonderful
experience for Carlo; it made him reminisce the
past and compare it to present when he was beginning
a venture in the eyewear business in Dubai. It
made him realize the improvements in the technology
and facilities in setting up business in the UAE.
* In all his learning, what appears most important is
to know that the aim is not only to present the collection
and get initial order. Over the years he has
learned that the aim is to allow opticians to make
good business, good margin and relatively easy sale
so they would make consistent and continuous relationship.
Moreover, his experience in the business
also taught him the value of patience. Indeed, it was
tested during the financial downturn, but seeing him
now still making well in the industry is certainly a
good indication that he survived the tests in patience
very effectively.
*Being a master at his craft, he is most proud of the
fact that he was able to build networks and solid relations
in the industry. He was able to form these relationships,
allowing his clients to respond positively
on his efforts. He may have learned the ropes of the
business fifteen years ago, he may have been very
professional and productive at it, but it is his personality
that makes him a credible and endearing business
person to deal with. His professionalism, honesty and
sincere dealings with fellow opticians earned him his
much-deserved trust and respect. Indeed, with his
wits, humor, experience and networks, the first years
of Marchon Gulf is doing well, and quite safe with
him. For that, starting over is a job well done for Carlo
Lorigiola.
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