What attracted me about the opportunity to become the Director of Human Resources of Canonburg site was Groupe SEB’s long respected global reputation for the production, sales and marketing of premium brands.  All Clad and Krups in particular have an excellent reputation in the USA and are recognized as market leaders. This combined with the fact that the full spectrum of business activities is located onsite – Development, production, marketing, logistics, sales – has lead to a very entrepreneurial spirit and camaraderie among the team who work closely together. It is like being part of a family where everyone can say what they think and gives each other a hand. It was something that struck me when I arrived in 2008 when the site was in the process of being reorganized; we felt the positive impact the next year.

It is very exciting to be a member of the High End Brands team at this time of change and look forward to continued career growth and development within the Group.

I joined Groupe SEB as Cookware Marketing Manager when the Korean subsidiary was first set up in 1997.  I was impressed by the constant innovation, the wide range of products and the variety of distribution channels used. I worked in marketing then sales after which I was promoted to Managing Director in 2009, overseeing a workforce of around sixty.  One of my key projects at the moment is consolidating the Rowenta brand which has only recently been launched here, whereas Tefal has been present right from the start. I have sufficient level of delegation to manage the subsidiary; important decisions are taken twice a year at meetings attended by regional and continental management. Once decisions are validated, I have full responsibility to implement them as I see fit – as long as they respect Group operating principles, of course.

I particularly appreciate the spirit of innovation which reigns within the Group as well as its corporate values and management team based on honesty, transparency and respect.

If I had to single out two reasons why I chose to join Groupe SEB in 2002, I would say the Group’s human values together with the fact it has a long-term strategy and the means to implement it. The deciding factor was the Group employees I met in a professional capacity; it was clear that they were very attached to their company. My first position was that of International Market Manager for Northern and Western Europe then, eighteen months later, the Group appointed me Sales Manager of the Electrical Cooking business unit followed by Cookware Sales and Marketing Director for South America in 2005. In 2008, I became Director of the Group’s subsidiary in Poland. After 2 years, the Group offered me a place on the Management Committee for the Cookware business unit as the VP of Business Development, a recently created position to ensure the due implementation of product strategy in the subsidiaries. Whether in Brazil or in Poland, I have found the same degree of enthusiasm for Group products and brands as in the head office teams in France and especially the same attachment to human values.

The company makes you feel you belong: the Group’s employees are very loyal and there are real opportunities for development.

I joined Groupe SEB as an intern at the end of 2008 after graduating from Grenoble Management School. I assisted the international product manager for steam generators in the Linen Care business unit.  I was soon offered the job of Product Project Leader for the same product family and, even before my placement was over, I was involved in the various development stages of three steam generator projects. What I most appreciated about this job was the multitasking aspect and the contact with several departments. Some of my daily tasks were : specifications definition with the Marketing, technical discussions with the R&D, set up of qualitative and quantitative tests with the Market Research, prototype workshops with the Design and even packaging development. I had plenty of freedom although, obviously, each stage has to be approved by my line manager. Today, Groupe SEB gives me a new opportunity. I am moving to São Paulo, in Brazil, as International Product Manager for the Kitchen Electrics business unit.

A new challenge to meet!

Over a 10-year period, I moved from logistics to industry then to strategic marketing with new management responsibilities at each step. It goes to show that it’s possible to change careers in the Group. After gaining qualifications in logistics and some work experience at Peugeot, I was taken on as logistics manager at a Group site in the Vosges in France in 1999. After two years, I was offered the job of site Production Manager, I was only 25 at the time and it struck me how much faith the Group has in young people! I was attracted by the idea of working in industry and management and this experience taught me a great deal. In 2004, I took over as Warehouse Manager of the distribution platform for Seb and Rowenta products. I was back in logistics but this time with customer contact and with greater managerial responsibilities. Next, I was given the chance of getting to grips with strategic marketing with a job as International Market Manager. That was in 2006 and today I am International Product Manager for Actifry & Deep fat fryers.

Eventually, I would like to work in more multidisciplinary management capacity. What I particularly appreciate about Groupe SEB is the fact that it encourages personal initiative and innovation and that Group managers are very open.

What really struck me when I joined the Dubai team in 2005 was the fact that diversity is really seen as a veritable asset. It’s not just a question of equal opportunities. You meet people from different countries, men and women from different horizons with different backgrounds plus there is a very open-minded attitude to the various possible approaches to the job.  I had my own working methods, my own way of creating a business plan and I don’t speak French.

Nobody forced me to conform; in fact it was an opportunity for the team to weigh up the pros and cons of the various approaches to find the best way to develop the business. This diversity is framed by the rules and procedures of the Group but it is a source of dynamism. Irrespective of your profile, if you are competent and want to get on, the Group encourages you. In my case, after having been Product Manager for 4 years, I was appointed Marketing Director of this entity which is responsible for marketing Group products in the Near and Middle East.

I was only 29 when Groupe SEB put me in charge of its new Czech subsidiary, even though I had no General Manager experience. One has to admit the Company gives young employees their chance. Two years later, I took over the Slovakian subsidiary then went on to head the Central Europe cluster - Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary -. It was one of the very first organizations of this type in the Group supported by a common back office for ten countries. During nine years of constant growth, the Group gave me plenty of opportunity to take personal initiatives while providing strong backup. If you have a great idea, no-one will put obstacles in your way. It is also important for me to work in a group with strong human values. I have just become Managing Director of the UK subsidiary which just goes to prove that the French managers are not the only ones who are posted abroad.

It’s a new adventure for me and my family.

I have attended several Groupe SEB University seminars over the past few years, on subjects such as marketing, product development and the innovation process. And every time, it taught me a lot and boosted my motivation. They are applied training courses which are clearly targeted to help you learn new skills and improve your performance. But they also make a welcome break from everyday work; exchanging opinions with people from different horizons and with different outlooks enables you take a fresh look at how you function. The Innovation Days I attended in 2009, for example, brought together people from research, development, marketing and design from the various Group business units. This hands-on training was very stimulating for everyone; there was a mini conference and we did creative team work – commando style!  It was both businesslike and great fun and we brainstormed many ideas for new products.

Events like these help you share a culture, an identity, and the core values of the Group by meeting top and middle management in the context of product development and innovation.

How would I briefly sum up Groupe SEB? Well, it’s a group with a human dimension, with excellent brands and a lively business spirit. I have been part of the Group on two occasions. First of all, I carried out a corporate volunteer mission when I graduated from Lyon Business School in 1996: I spent a year as assistant product manager in Canada. I then decided to branch out into other consumer sectors. After 7 years working in cosmetics and agro-food industries, I was nostalgic for Groupe SEB’s human values, strong brands and dynamism so I joined the Group again in 2004. Since then, I have occupied several positions: International Market Manager for Electrical Cooking in North America, UK and Australia, International Product Manager for deep fat fryers – with a fantastic product, the Actifry virtually oil-free fryer, Marketing Director for high-end electrical products in the US and now Vice President Business Development for the Kitchen Electrics business unit. At the moment, I am seeking out new territories for the Group and boosting development on emerging markets.

Exciting projects on the horizon!

I began my career with Groupe SEB in Moscow as a Personal Assistant then as the subsidiary’s Human Resources Manager. In 1999, I joined the Group’s Information Systems department in Ecully. As a Functional Expert, I manage IT projects and participate in the roll-out of new tools. After working in the field of human resources, I devote my time today to Intranet portals and collaborative services. I act as the interface between technical experts who develop IT solutions and the departments or professionals who use them in order to translate their needs into precise specifications. This calls for a great deal of discussions and I really enjoy this mix between the technical and interpersonal. Once the applications have been developed, I also assist in user training, support and maintenance.

There is no routine with us: a project lasts from 1 to 2 years at most and the technology and tools are constantly evolving. I enjoy the independence I have to manage projects, while benefiting from a shared work methodology and support from the management. Not to mention individual respect, which takes the form of real diversity within teams, among other things.

I participated in a one-week Groupe SEB University training seminar for young managers in the fall of 2009 in Lyon. There were about thirty of us from different branches, countries and professions, learning how to consolidate our management skills. As I was a recent recruit to the Group – June 2007 – and am based a long way from headquarters at the Hong Kong subsidiary where I am in charge of finances and IT, this training provided an ideal opportunity to widen my network of contacts. Another interesting aspect was the possibility to analyze my working methods with relation to the Group’s strategy. I was able to apply the lessons I learned as soon as I got back to the office. I discovered there were a set of reference values, shared by everyone, not just in terms of economic strategy – the ability to reconcile long-term vision and short-term management considerations – but also human values and management techniques.

The fact that we were able to have open discussions with members of the Executive Committee and the participation of top quality external lecturers helped make this seminar a resounding success.

After graduating from the National Engineering School in Saint-Etienne, I took a Master’s Degree in international industrial management at the HEC Business School. This led on to a work placement in 2006 as assistant project leader where it was my job to improve the procurement of components from Asian suppliers. During my internship, I jointly headed a multidisciplinary working group and managed to finalize proposals to reduce deadlines, perform logistical audits and set up a dedicated IT system. I enjoyed being able to run a project from start to finish, with plenty of freedom in a climate of trust and open-mindedness. The Group then offered me the chance to join the team as International Logistics Coordinator for Linen Care. I consolidate sales forecasts for irons and steam generators in Europe, validate them with the strategic marketing team then calculate the production volumes for the plants and finished product stock levels. I also deal with the logistics related to product launches and discontinuations for steam generators worldwide.

It’s an interesting job because it gives me an overview of how the Group functions as a whole.

I joined Groupe SEB in 2007 as a researcher in the Pressure cookers business unit. But I am nothing like the researcher wearing a white shirt in his laboratory! My work consists of exploring and demonstrating the feasibility of new product concepts in close conjunction with my colleagues from Marketing and Design with the support of external experts. The Nutricook pressure cooker, launched at the end of 2009 is a prime example. The initial idea was to better preserve the nutritional properties of food during cooking. I worked on vitamins, on a new concept of steam compartment, and on the temperature setting for cooking down to the degree... And I constantly discussed matters with Marketing to confirm the relevance of areas under study with respect to the consumer, and with designers for issues relating to ergonomics, shape or color. The development specifications were put together through this joint work and the result was a highly innovative product! As far as I am concerned, the ability to tackle a product in a global manner is important. I operate in an array of disciplines, from mechanics to thermodynamics, including the study of vitamins and electronics.

I really appreciate this diversity and the freedom to take initiative I benefit from.

I joined Groupe SEB at the beginning of 2009 to manage operations at the Canonsburg site in Pennsylvania (USA). That’s where All Clad cookware is manufactured. All Clad is a high-end brand which is extremely well-known in the United States.  I already had a solid experience in industrial management behind me as I had worked in Europe, China and the United States.  Groupe SEB’s offer appealed to me because of the exciting challenge it represented: to help move this manufacturing facility to become world class. I took this challenge seriously and endeavored to involve the teams as far as possible as I am convinced that the human factor makes all the difference. Communication and safety were key concepts from the start and I employed the 5S method which is the standard in industry. Productivity increased by more than 20 % during this first year and is still going up. I must admit I enjoy working with such prestigious products.

Plus the Canonsburg area is a really nice place to live, which is important for my family.

Groupe SEB University seminars are an ideal occasion to meet colleagues from different departments and countries. The three training courses I attended enabled me to develop a network of contacts throughout the Group and increased my sense of belonging to a major international company. I have kept in contact with all those who I met and this has helped me considerably in my job.  The seminars are of a very high standard with top managers participating which further boosted my motivation. After each course, I was able to apply the methods I had learned. I joined Groupe SEB Istanbul in 1998 and became Marketing Manager of the subsidiary in 2008. I particularly appreciate the Group’s dynamism and corporate spirit: in Turkey for example, we used to sell only Tefal products and today we market the company’s five main brands and launch new products and concepts every year such as the Nutritious and Delicious range.

There is no risk of us getting bored!

When I joined Groupe SEB in early 2010, I was struck by the strong culture of innovation which reigns in teams and the widespread enthusiasm for Group products.  This innovative drive is based on close collaboration between the R&D, Marketing and Design teams, strong centers of expertise and a long line of external partnerships. My role is to ramp up this driving force for the Group, in an increasingly international and multicultural approach which reflects consumers of our products. It is a wonderful challenge for someone like me who is passionate about innovation and open to cultural diversity. As an engineer and doctor of physics and holding and MBA, I worked in research for 16 years. Firstly in public organizations, then closer to the consumer in the cosmetics sector: I managed and created laboratories for L’Oréal in France then Kao in Germany and in Japan, a country where I also set up a research unit for Essilor/Nikon.

Today, the adventure continues within Groupe SEB with a new dimension as I coordinate and boost innovation at every level of the company.

As acoustics specialist, I firstly worked for 5 years in a rail group, and then I was keen to get into consumer products.  This incited me to join Groupe SEB in 2004 and, more specifically, the vacuum cleaner sector in my capacity as Research Project Manager. On my arrival, I concentrated on the Silence Force project, a vacuum cleaner which would hit the big time in 2007 for being the most effective and silent on the market. We conducted state-of-the-art research on the air flow to reduce the noise, on the vacuum head to make it more effective, on the motor to improve its energy efficiency….And it is still ongoing! A vacuum cleaner is technology in its purest form: the Group has filed 65 patents on this product family. Proof that innovation is really a priority, the staff in our research team quadrupled in 5 years, and today I am the manager. I particularly appreciate the team work: we work with researchers, of course, but also with our colleagues from the design office, the lab and prototypes, as well as with those in marketing and design.

Not to mention partnerships with university teams who provide open-mindedness and support in cutting-edge fields.

My career with Groupe SEB began in 2004 in Strategic Marketing: for 4 years, I increased the sales of new products in different countries in close cooperation with the Group’s subsidiaries. Then I was keen to move into sales to deal with customers face to face. Groupe SEB France then asked me to start off as a Sales Representative to learn the ropes of the job. This experience let me grasp the requirements of a floor manager and to experience the daily life of the Group’s sales teams. I was moved when I was subsequently appointed Key Account Manager. Today, I am in charge of sales relations for several product categories with three leading distributors in France: Carrefour, Darty and Media Saturn. I negotiate the sales terms with them, as well as product volumes, prices, entries in their catalogues, etc. Negotiation lies at the heart of my job and I love it! Negotiating is not about agreeing or disagreeing, it’s about making contact and discussing quid pro quo in order to develop a profitable business.

I feel all the more comfortable in this role as Groupe SEB’s teams enjoy a good image among distributors: they are considered very loyal to their company, without the slightest hint of arrogance despite the Group’s leading status, and are strongly imbued with the product culture.

For a designer, Groupe SEB’s products and brands are legendary! They represent extraordinary expressive potential and it is no coincidence that design schools use many of Groupe SEB’s products as case studies for their students. Small domestic appliances concentrate in a reduced volume a great deal of restrictions linked to technical aspects, functionalities, production and attractiveness… I didn’t have to think twice when Groupe SEB offered me the position of Design Director at the start of 2010. After 20 years of experience in industrial design – in the sector of electrical equipment then in professional tooling – plus an MBA, I was keen to move into a managerial position. My role is to manage the Group’s design in compliance with the various brand platforms. I am keen to boost the skills and development of internal designers and I supervise relations with external design agencies. I also ensure that design teams are involved from the very first stages of product design, in an approach which combined strategic marketing and R&D.

Do not confuse style, which adorns an object which has already been designed, and design, which ensures the overall harmony of the product from the outset!