In conversation with ANTONIO JOVÉ
3 questions to
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Antonio Jové
A manager with a long and significant experience in eyewear, for which he has great passion, Antonio Jové has been working at Marcolin since 1998. After managing the European subsidiaries, he is now the Group Head of EMEA. We went to visit him in Barcelona to find out what the objectives are for this year.
A well-balanced portfolio, direct relationships with the sales network and special attention to the luxury segment: what is Marcolin’s main strength, the one that has determined the growth in recent years?
«I would say that we have 3 strengths which distinguish us from competitors. The first one is our people. We have built up a team in EMEA and strengthened it over time, which has allowed us to always be close to the customers. The second thing is the brand portfolio. We have a very well-balanced portfolio between luxury, diffusion, sun, optical, men, and women, that allows us to easily meet the client’s needs. And the third one is that in recent years we have been focusing on and expanding the luxury segment, where we really have an absolute leading brand and the Company is investing in new brands right now: ZEGNA, ic! berlin, and we will be launching very soon one of the most popular brands of the moment, Christian Louboutin».
You are leading very different geographical, economic, and cultural areas: what are the main differences between opticians in the markets, what strategies do they require?
«It is true that the EMEA region is wide, and we reach our clients in two different ways. One is through our subsidiaries, the other is export. In our branches we have evolved and transited from micro to macro areas. Today, we have 3 macro areas that speak the same language, the language that our clients need. These 3 areas are managed by 3 Heads of, and below these 3 Heads of, the key person, who is managing the market today, is the Sales Manager. And below that Sales Manager, we have the two languages we need to reach the client».
“We have two very clear and combined goals for EMEA, especially for this year”
We are at the beginning of 2024: can you tell us what Marcolin’s objectives are for the EMEA area? Is there a segment you are focusing on in particular?
«We have two very clear and combined goals for EMEA, especially for this year. The first is to make this new organization we have implemented in our branches work and allow it to take on a significant role within the market, and the second we are focusing on is related to export. Here we have four very clear projects that we are going to implement throughout 2024. It is true that luxury is very important within our Company. Luxury is growing. We have one of the most important, or maybe the most important, brand in the luxury industry and the Company will continue to invest in this segment. We have another strong reality, which is ZEGNA. There is no doubt we will also launch the brand ic! berlin on the market during 2024, and towards the end of the year we will launch Christian Louboutin».
