The Collections team, led by Fernando del Frago, is made up of three key areas: Business Intelligence & SDA, with Juan Artajo; Cookware & Concepts, with Jaime Ciprés; and the Showroom, Fairs and Retail area, formed by Emilio Satué's team. On this occasion, we talked to Juan and Jaime, who shared with us their vision and the work they carry out in their respective areas.
Juan Artajo
What is a typical day like in your job as a BI profile within the SDA area?
Within our department we oversee assortment management by categories, always trying to give the best solution to our customers for each of our brands.
We combine market analysis with product development to offer customized solutions. We analyze the competition, what products they have, how they communicate, what's new on the market, prices... To then integrate them into our assortment ensuring consistency between all products and brands.
What kind of information or tools do you provide to help other areas to make more informed decisions?
All our developments and launches are supported by a market analytical base, where we study the sales of that product in different countries to see the viability. With this information, what we look for is to see the market size of that product, who sells it, how they sell it, at what price they sell it... To have the most competitive solution possible.
Do you remember a time when your analysis has made an important difference in a project or launch?
As we are constantly analyzing the market and developing products, we have been fortunate to be able to help with many projects, especially thanks to having a very solid analytical base on which we always rely when launching.
Jaime Ciprés
What is your job within the Collections team and how do you combine data with creative decisions in the development of collections?
My work in the Collections team focuses on the development of cookware categories and new concepts, as well as assortment control of all the references in this area that we are currently working on in the company. On the development side, we analyze consumer trends and market data which, together with the inputs we receive from the commercial department, allow us to identify opportunities and develop our collections accordingly. These insights allow us to make more informed creative decisions, balancing innovation and commercial viability. We could summarize it as the biggest challenge is to translate all the information we receive through different channels into proposals that are attractive and competitive in different markets.
What brands and licenses do you currently work with and for which markets do you develop products from the Cookware & Concepts area?
We currently work with our own brands (MasterPRO, San Ignacio and Bergner) and licenses (mainly focused now on the development of Lékué and Benetton). Under these brands and licenses, we develop collections adapted to different regions: Europe, LATAM, MENA and Asia, among others. Each market has its own particularities, so we adapt formats, materials and designs according to their preferences. This variety of brands and licenses allows us to cover global needs with cohesive proposals. This guarantees a broad range, but always with a clear identity for each brand and channel.
How do you collaborate with other departments to ensure that a collection is well positioned in the market?
Collaboration is key to the success of each collection. We work closely with the sales team to understand the needs of each customer and channel. In turn, the Sourcing department helps us to ensure the technical and economic feasibility of the products. We also collaborate with marketing to define the storytelling and launch strategy. This synergy between departments ensures that each collection is aligned with market demand and arrives with solid and coherent positioning.
