CEO at strategy kickoff: “Store Managers are more important than top management team”
What is JYSK Strategy Kickoff?
- Once a year in the spring, the top management teams in JYSK meet to align and work on the direction for the new financial year.
- The financial year in JYSK runs from September until the end of August.
At the annual strategy kickoff, President & CEO of JYSK, Jan Bøgh, set the direction for the next financial year and highlighted the importance of Store Managers.
As some participants rushed from their cars into JYSK park to get out of the pouring rain, the number of video squares on the large TV screen increased, as many joined the meeting virtually from all across Europe.
This year, the strategy kickoff was a hybrid meeting due to coronavirus restrictions. Some were physically attending the event at JYSK park, a football stadium located in Silkeborg, Denmark, the hometown of late JYSK founder, Lars Larsen.
Focus on Store Managers
Delivering his introductory remarks, Jan Bøgh put special emphasis on the importance of Store Managers to continue JYSK’s success.
“Our Store Managers are actually more important than the EMT (Executive Management Team). Having the right Store Managers is really key to making JYSK even more successful. Of course I also hope that you think we in the EMT are doing a good job and helping you reach your goals,” he said with a smile.
Later, Jan Verhoek, Executive Vice President of HR, continued this theme:
“In JYSK we say that a Store Manager can make or break a store. Therefore it is really essential that we train our staff to be competent and professional, and that we attract the right candidates for the future of JYSK.”