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Tag: Fung

  • AS Watson Group Promotes Queennie Fung to Lead Global Corporate Communications

    AS Watson Group Promotes Queennie Fung to Lead Global Corporate Communications

    AS Watson Group, a leading global health and beauty retailer, has announced the promotion of Queennie Fung to the position of General Manager of Group Corporate Communications. In this role, Fung will be responsible for overseeing the company’s brand positioning, reputation management, and stakeholder engagement across its 31 markets worldwide.

    Professional Journey of Queennie Fung

    Queennie Fung joined AS Watson Group in 2014 and has since made notable advancements within the organization. Prior to her promotion, she served as the Head of Corporate Communications, a position she assumed in 2024. In this capacity, she successfully led integrated communications initiatives across various markets, working in close collaboration with numerous business units to ensure the delivery of consistent messaging.

    In addition to this, Fung has been at the forefront of several campaigns aimed at bolstering AS Watson Group’s brand presence and amplifying community engagement. Her strategic and impactful contributions have been instrumental in refining the group’s global communications strategy and enhancing relationships with customers, partners, and communities.

    Looking Ahead: AS Watson’s Global Vision

    Commenting on the promotion, Malina Ngai, Group CEO of AS Watson Group, emphasized Fung’s pivotal role in shaping the company’s communication strategy. Ngai expressed confidence in Fung’s leadership, envisaging her as instrumental in fostering a more integrated and purpose-driven brand across all markets.

    The decision to promote Fung is in line with AS Watson’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its global brand and stakeholder engagement across its international business divisions.

    Questions & Answers

    Who is Queennie Fung?
    Queennie Fung is the newly appointed General Manager of Group Corporate Communications for AS Watson Group. She joined the company in 2014 and has held various roles within the organization.

    What will be Fung’s responsibilities in her new role?
    As the General Manager of Group Corporate Communications, Fung will oversee AS Watson Group’s brand positioning, reputation management, and stakeholder engagement worldwide.

    What has been Fung’s contribution to AS Watson Group so far?
    Fung has played a critical role in shaping the company’s global communications strategy and strengthening its relationships with customers, partners, and communities. She has led integrated communications initiatives and driven campaigns to enhance the brand and boost community engagement.

  • Li & Fung Partners with Vera Bradley: A Bold Foray into the Apparel Industry

    Li & Fung Partners with Vera Bradley: A Bold Foray into the Apparel Industry

    Global sourcing and supply chain leader, Li & Fung, is setting its sights on further growth within the apparel sector, following a successful trading year in home products. The firm plans to extend its licensing agreement with American lifestyle brand, Vera Bradley, and make a significant foray into the competitive industry.

    Expanded Agreement Details

    Under the terms of the extended deal, Li & Fung will be responsible for designing and manufacturing a variety of everyday clothing items. These will mirror Vera Bradley’s visual identity and include tops, sweaters, outerwear, dresses, and swimwear. The company’s designs will continue to feature its well-known patterns, colours, and quilting elements, with the aim of appealing to a wide, multigenerational audience.

    The new product line will be launched in stages. The first phase, slated for the holiday season in 2026, will unveil the winter collection, which includes tops, sweaters and outerwear. The subsequent expansion into dresses and swimwear is expected during the cruise season of 2027.

    Melinda Paraie, Chief Brand Officer of Vera Bradley, commented on the development, “Our foray into the apparel market is a significant step for Vera Bradley. We’ve been successful in the home category and we’re confident that our partnership will enable us to deliver high-quality apparel reflecting our brand’s ethos. It’s about meeting our customers in their comfort zone and offering them more avenues to express their personal style.”

    Distribution Plan

    The upcoming clothing range will be distributed widely, targeting customers across full-price, specialty, off-price, and warehouse club retail channels. This strategic approach is expected to maximize the reach of Vera Bradley’s offerings to their diverse customer base.

    Questions & Answers

    1. What are the terms of the expanded agreement between Li &Fung and Vera Bradley?
    Under the expanded agreement, Li & Fung will design and manufacture everyday apparel items like tops, sweaters, outerwear, dresses, and swimwear, reflecting Vera Bradley’s visual identity.

    2. When is the new product line expected to launch?
    The new product line will be launched in phases, beginning in the holiday season of 2026 with the release of cold-weather categories. The expansion into dresses and swimwear is planned for the cruise season of 2027.

    3. What is the proposed distribution plan for the new clothing range?
    The clothing range will be widely distributed across full-price, specialty, off-price, and warehouse club retail channels.

  • Li & Fung Strikes Gold: Secures Wholesale Distribution Rights for C&C California

    Li & Fung Strikes Gold: Secures Wholesale Distribution Rights for C&C California

    Hong Kong’s premier supply chain manager, Li & Fung, has recently entered into a licensing contract with C&C California. This agreement grants Li & Fung exclusive rights to wholesale distribution across all retail platforms, including full-price, off-price, and club retailers.

    C&C California and its Specialties

    C&C California operates as a part of the larger Established Lifestyle group. The company particularly excels in the design and development of women’s swimwear, sleepwear, and outerwear.

    The newly inked contract will allow Li & Fung to manage and guide the expansion of C&C’s new product ranges and their subsequent distribution process.

    Expansion of Products Range

    In the swimwear segment, the expanded product line will include separate pieces, one-piece swimsuits, and beachwear. Their sleepwear category is also set to grow, with the introduction of separate pieces, coordinated sets, and robes.

    The outerwear products will encompass a range of seasonal styles, varying from light windbreakers to heavier garments like puffers and parkas.

    Brand Expansion and Identity

    Mel Limoncelli, Senior Vice President and head of licensed brands at Li & Fung, stated that this partnership will allow the brand to venture into new product categories while preserving its core identity.

    In his words, “The category expansions remain true to a brand heritage rooted in 70s West Coast culture. Moreover, they continue to embrace the endless summer ideal through comfort, ease of wear, and easy-care fabrics.”

    Questions & Answers

    What is the nature of the agreement between Li & Fung and C&C California?
    The agreement is a licensing contract that provides Li & Fung with the rights to manage the wholesale distribution of C&C California products across all retail platforms.

    How does this agreement benefit C&C California?
    This agreement allows C&C California to expand their product ranges under the expert management of Li & Fung. This expansion includes new lines in swimwear, sleepwear, and outerwear categories.

    What does the expansion mean for the brand’s identity?
    Despite diversifying into new product categories, the brand intends to stay true to its roots, which are embedded in the 70s West Coast culture. The expansion aims to resonate with the idea of an endless summer through comfortable, easy-to-wear, and low-maintenance fabrics.

  • Li & Fung Acquires Uk’s Orrsum In Strategic Move Towards Platform-based Growth

    Li & Fung Acquires Uk’s Orrsum In Strategic Move Towards Platform-based Growth

    Renowned supply chain management firm, Li & Fung, headquartered in Hong Kong, has recently announced the acquisition of Orrsum, a prominent UK-based supplier specializing in hosiery and underwear. The financial details of the deal remain undisclosed at this point.

    Orrsum’s Stature and Future Plans

    Established in 1998, Orrsum has an impressive record of producing more than 50 million pairs of socks annually, distributing to over 5,000 retail outlets on a global scale. The company’s reputation is solidly backed by its product expertise, innovative development model, and robust customer relationships.

    As part of the acquisition agreement, Orrsum will continue to operate under the umbrella of Li & Fung Europe. The leadership will remain unchanged with William Orr at its helm. It aims to capitalize on Li & Fung’s advanced AI-driven digital infrastructure and expansive sourcing network spread across 40 economies. This strategic move is expected to enhance supply chain agility, facilitating entry into new markets and channels.

    Significance of the Acquisition

    Destan Bezmen, who serves as the president of Europe, emphasized that this acquisition is a critical move in the company’s expansion strategy. He expressed confidence that integrating Orrsum’s category leadership and product development capabilities with Li & Fung’s digital infrastructure and global reach will enable them to scale high-demand categories. Furthermore, it will expand their customer offerings and lead to faster, more flexible execution across different markets.

    This agreement signifies Li & Fung’s first acquisition in more than 10 years and the maiden one since it turned private in 2020. The company shared that this transaction is a part of its strategic shift towards platform-based growth. This new direction places a strong emphasis on scalable product categories, digital integration, and the development of resilient supply chain solutions.

    Li & Fung has previously partnered with US apparel brand, Sanctuary, in October of last year. This collaboration aimed at the creation and distribution of a new women’s denim line under a licensing agreement.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the significance of Li & Fung’s acquisition of Orrsum?
    This acquisition marks a critical step in Li & Fung’s expansion strategy, allowing the company to scale high-demand categories, broaden customer offerings, and facilitate faster, more flexible execution across markets.

    How will Orrsum operate following the acquisition?
    Orrsum will continue its operations under Li & Fung Europe and maintain its existing leadership led by William Orr. The company will leverage Li & Fung’s AI-enabled digital infrastructure and extensive sourcing network to boost its supply chain agility and facilitate expansion into new markets and channels.

    What is the strategic shift Li & Fung is aiming for with this acquisition?
    The acquisition is part of Li & Fung’s strategic pivot towards platform-based growth, focusing on scalable product categories, digital integration, and the development of resilient supply chain solutions.

  • Fung and JD launch Hong Kong’s first AI checkout

    Fung and JD launch Hong Kong’s first AI checkout

    JD has partnered with Fung Retailing Group to unveil Hong Kong’s first AI checkout solution in a retail store environment.

    The AI-powered checkout technology is a result of a strategic deal between the firms signed last year. It represents the first AI checkout experience featuring image recognition technology in the territory. This technology is currently installed at the AI Retailing Zone in two Circle K stores in Hong Kong.

    Designed to make the checkout experience as easy and hassle-free as possible, customers can complete checkout using the AI-powered solution in just four seconds with three simple steps, including placing the products on the counter, scanning, and paying via Octopus card.

    The advanced AI algorithm enables the checkout counter to recognise up to five products within one second with an accuracy rate of more than 97 per cent, reducing the overall checkout time by 30 per cent.

    “This is an important milestone for Fung Retailing as the first in the industry to unveil the first AI-powered checkout pilot experience in a convenience store environment,” said group MD Sabrina Fung.

    “This underscores our ongoing commitment to experiment with new technologies like AI and to build partnerships like the one with JD to enhance the end-customer experience, further transforming the future of retail for Greater China.”

    “AI will continue to play a critical role in transforming the retail landscape,” said JD VP Dr Bowen Zhou.

    “Retailers who are able to capitalise on this trend, will have a competitive edge among their peers. Leveraging Fung Retailing’s offline retail expertise and JD’s leading retail technology, this pilot project represents a critical first step in collectively realising our vision for smarter and more convenient retail.”

  • Fung Group’s Explorium probes future plans

    Fung Group’s Explorium probes future plans

    Fung Group has unveiled a new iteration of its Explorium research centre in Shanghai.

    Dubbed Explorium 2.0, the 23,000sqm mock mall has been converted by the supply-chain specialist company into what it describes as a “value-generating ecosystem for commercial enterprises”.

    In a modern building that occasionally doubles as a meeting and event venue, technology and business-model innovation come together as an experimental platform for developing a full range of consumer products, supply-chain technology and services related to branding and retailing.

    Originally, Explorium – described by Fung Group as a retail “omniplatform lab” – comprised a physical space with an interconnected digital network of services, providing brands and retailers with the chance to observe in real time how customers interact with new technologies, products and environments. This enabled them to gather valuable insights into customer behaviour along the way.

    For 12 months, such retailers as Build-A-Bear Workshop, Gymboree, Hello Kitty, Stride Rite and Toys R Us experimented at Explorium using data-analytics tools supplied by IBM as well as retail technologies from various startups.

    Explorium 2.0 builds on the knowledge gained from Explorium in line with Fung Group’s strategic vision to build the supply chain of the future.

    Rapid prototyping

    Now the platform will act as an incubator for companies whose ideas, innovations and technologies are relevant to the Fung Group’s businesses, allowing for rapid prototyping of new business models, products and retail technologies.

    Explorium 2.0 has a strong focus on collaborative innovation, with such partners as the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, Microsoft Accelerator and TechNode, and has a mandate to showcase the capabilities Fung Group has developed over its 111-year history.

    Fung Group says the goal of Explorium 2.0 is to move away from traditional approaches to provide a customer experience that balances content and interaction. The space showcases the full breadth of product categories covered by the group, as well as the retail channels it serves, with an emphasis on importing brands and retail concepts into China. In this sense, Explorium 2.0 serves the supply chain end to end, while Explorium focused on front-end retail.

    The new space features a range of elements:

    • A fabric library for apparel manufacturing, equipped with the latest digital tools offering 3D product rendering and virtual sampling
    • A studio for photographing products, tailored to e-commerce business models, as well as a StyleShoots 3D photography studio for fashion shoots
    • A 3D printing experimentation platform based on the premise that in the future 80 per cent of items will be mass produced with the remaining 20 per cent being customisable
    • A multi-use space, The Maze, for product launches, demonstrations and sample sales
    • Showrooms for Macy’s China, a JV between the US department store and Fung Retailing Group, and Fung Omni, Fung Group’s omnichannel systems provider which helps foreign brands enter the Chinese market.

    These spaces fall within the recurrent themes of the Fung Group and Li & Fung – digitalisation, innovation and speed – and will be open to strategic external collaborations.

    Go-to platform

    The Fung Group’s goal is for Explorium 2.0 to become the go-to platform for retail innovation, connecting with stakeholders globally. Explorium 2.0 has already established partnerships with key players in the innovation and technology ecosystem in China such as the Microsoft Accelerator, GBLab and TechNode. Using the space, these partners will draw on Fung Group’s expertise in supply-chain management, logistics and retail to create synergies for the technology startups in their portfolios, as well as the Chinese ecosystem at large.

    At the same time, the goal is for Explorium to also become a bridge for technology companies entering China, and for Chinese startups ready to venture out into global markets, such as Europe and the US, where the group has distribution capabilities.

    At the opening ceremony for Explorium 2.0, Fung Group chairman Dr Victor K Fung said the unit would play a key role in helping the group chart a course through the  transformation under way in the retail industry. The group expects the future of retail lies in omni-channel, as indicated by moves being made offline by Alibaba and Amazon, as well as moves by traditional brick-and-mortar retailers into the online space.

    Dr Fung highlighted the importance of continuing to invest in technology and innovation to create more value across the entire supply chain, taking advantage of the capabilities of all companies in the group to shape the future of the industry.

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