What are today the major challenges of a retail CEO, particularly in the animal care sector?
Retail is facing a rapid transformation: digitalization of customer journeys, cost inflation, growing expectations regarding sustainability, and scarcity of talent. A CEO must be able to manage simultaneously operational excellence, the omnichannel customer experience, and innovation, while keeping his team engaged.
In animal care, there is an additional challenge: the passion of consumers for their pets, which imposes a demand for quality and closeness much stronger than in other segments of retail.
What qualities do you expect from a CEO in Belgium?
To be both a strategist and a local entrepreneur. The Belgian market is complex, multilingual, and competitive. It requires agility, a fine knowledge of the field, and the ability to unite high-performing teams.
And tomorrow, what will the role of a retail CEO look like?
More agile, data-oriented, but always profoundly human. Artificial intelligence and automation will transform the supply chain and the customer relationship. But at the core, success will always rest on the ability of the CEO to inspire, unite, and give meaning to his teams. The combination “data + human touch” will be the key.
How did the collaboration with Carrée, Biebuyck & Partners go?
Their strength is to go beyond the job description. From the start, they asked the right questions and sought to understand our needs beyond the job description. Their network and their ability to evaluate the personality and leadership of candidates allowed us to quickly find the right person. It is a true strategic partnership.
A concluding word for the readers of this newsletter?
Success in retail is not only a question of strategy, but also of people. Surrounding oneself with the right leaders, capable of carrying the vision and making a difference on a daily basis, is essential.