"The variety of the role is the main thing I like about my job. Plus the dynamism and occasional hectic moments in our fashion company appeal to me. Never a dull moment."
Kees Schimmel, HRM & Logistics Director
I've been working in the fashion industry since 1975 and even before 1993 (when the McGregor Fashion Group was started) I already had links with McGregor. I have a background in finance and economics and in the past I've also worked in financial and controller roles. From these roles I've gained a broader view of other business areas such as ICT, logistics, HR and legal. This breadth has always really appealed to me and it's given me a good insight into other business processes as well.
Within our management team I'm now responsible for logistics, HR and legal affairs. These sub-areas extend across all the divisions.
We've outsourced order picking for our clients, stock maintenance and outgoing goods flow to DHL Exel Supply Chain, which operates a distribution centre in Waalwijk exclusively for our brands. The activities in Waalwijk are run by our own staff, who are based there. Of course, as I live in Waalwijk, you'll often find me at our DC.
Some HR duties are the responsibility of the individual divisions (particularly the recruitment and selection of new staff). HR policy is set by head office. Providing support and advice to the divisional management is also a key function of the HR department.
As I mentioned earlier, the variety of the role is the main thing I like about my job. Plus the dynamism and occasional hectic moments in our fashion company appeal to me. Never a dull moment.
I'd like to highlight one of our company values: "Don't settle for mediocracy". This literally means that we don't settle for the average, but seek excellence in everything we do. A good example within my specialist field is filling a really urgent vacancy. If you let deadlines and pressures dictate your decisions, you'll always end up regretting opting for a solution that's not entirely satisfactory. Better to keep looking a little longer and find the perfect candidate!
