Bata World Digest August 7, 2015

World Digest
Bata World Digest August 7, 2015
Weekly Digest
News from around Bata World
AT A GLANCE
Bata Zimbabwe’s
Vocational Training
Program Is a Step Ahead
Bubblegummers
Relaunched in Australia
BCP Malaysia Holds
Special Ramadan
Celebration for Children
Registration Now Open for Bata Awards 2015
From today, you can register your entry for the Bata Awards 2015 via the new
website.
Bata Retail Race: Pole Position in
Peru
Q & A with Aloysius Tan
PERSON OF THE WEEK: COO Jorge
Carbajal Retiring After 27 Years
New Recruitment
Concept for Bata Italy
Bata Supports Young
Cricketing Talent in Sri
Lanka
Bubblegummers a Hit at
China Kidswear Trade
Show
World Digest
Bata World Digest August 7, 2015
Weekly Digest News from around Bata World
From today, you can
register your entry for
the Bata Awards 2015
via the new website.
CORPORATE
BATA Group
Registration Now Open for
Bata Awards 2015
The new Bata Awards site is also
responsive, making it easy to view
from tablets and smartphones as well
as PCs.
This year, the Bata Awards are
focusing on the Bata Core Values: five
guiding principles that are at the heart
of how the company is run. The Bata
Core Values are: Serve with Passion,
Be Bold, Count on Me, Exceed
Customer Expectations, and
Improving Lives. These values are also
the award categories for this year's
competition.
Have you helped create a new
product that has been a hit with
customers? Have you followed your
instincts and achieved great
success in terms of increasing
sales? Have you volunteered on a
special project for the Bata
Children's Program? If so, the Bata
Awards team would like to hear
about it.
The awards, similar to last year, are
divided into two stages. During the
first stage, which runs until September
13, employees can register their
projects on the site. Entries will then
be assessed by a judging panel, with
the top three in each category being
selected for the final stage.
Once the finalists have been chosen,
all Bata staff will have the opportunity
to vote for their favorite projects. Each
voter will also be entered into a draw,
with the chance to win fantastic prizes.
Remember, you have until September
13 to register your projects, so don't
delay. Upload your projects and show
the whole Bata world your
achievements over the last year.
Good luck to you all from the Bata
World News team.
World Digest
Bata World Digest August 7, 2015
Weekly Digest News from around Bata World
In the week from July
20-24, one store in Peru
managed to get to the
front of the pack,
scoring an impressive 40
points.
STORE
BATA Group
Bata Retail Race: Pole
Position in Peru
The competition in Peru has been
hotly contested until this point, with
many stores in the region working
hard to reach the top of the rankings.
The Nuevo San Juan store achieved its
target through a combination of hard
work and good communication with
staff, enabling the team to work well
together, and achieve the week's best
score.
There is still a great deal of potential
for teams in Peru to improve their
position in the race, as many of them
have yet to score points. However, the
unique format of the Bata Retail Race,
along with the opportunities provided
by the bonus weeks to score
additional points, means that all
teams still have the chance to move
up the rankings.
Rafael Salardi, human resources
manager for Bata Peru,
commented: "I believe the race is
an excellent initiative to promote
competition and greater
commitment from the stores in the
achievement of the company's
goals and objectives for the year. It
is very interesting to see how the
stores are performing on a weekly
basis, something we always do, but
this time from a different
perspective, the one of a race."
World Digest
Bata World Digest August 7, 2015
Weekly Digest News from around Bata World
After a long, fruitful
service at Bata, most
recently as chief
operating officer, Jorge
Carbajal will be “hanging
up his boots.”
INTERVIEWS
BATA Group
PERSON OF THE WEEK:
COO Jorge Carbajal Retiring
After 27 Years
Group CEO Jack Clemons introduced
Carbajal and presented him with a
token of appreciation for all he has
brought to Bata in 27 years. “Over
those years Jorge has been a
tremendous asset to this organization,
and I would like to thank him for his
significant contribution to our growth
in the emerging markets,” he said.
Carbajal took time to reflect on those
years with Bata World News.
You joined Bata in 1988 in
Peru and went on to work
for the company on five
continents. Tell us about
your experience traveling
and living in so many
different places.
My home country is where my family
is. Wherever I am posted, my family
and I would make the country our
home by absorbing and acclimatizing
to the country’s culture and people.
This I believe is the only way to be
successful – when you and your family
are happy and comfortable at home,
you are able to contribute in a positive
way in your work environment.
There was no big surprise in traveling;
I had expected to have many great
experiences in the many different
countries, enjoying the different
cultures and people. Everywhere in
the world, people are no different –
everyone has the same basic
aspiration. That is, to have a happy
family, successful career, good income
and good health.
How do you plan to enjoy
your retirement? Will you
keep in touch with the Bata
world?
For sure I will always keep in touch
with the Bata world and all my friends
and colleagues of many years! I want
to see the organization continue to
grow, and I wish all the best to the
new leadership of the organization!
I will be going back to my birth
country, Peru, and spend more time
with my family and extended family. I
will take this period to give back and
help my country and our people, the
Peruvian nation, as best I can, after
many years away, to improve their
livelihood.
What do you consider the
highlight of your Bata
career?
This would be the significant growth of
the Emerging Markets from 2005 to
2012. Overseeing the operations of
the then Bata International Group
West from 2005 to progressively
overseeing the entire operations of
the Asia, Africa and Latin American
markets.
Bata Emerging Markets more than
doubled its turnover from 2005 to
2012, with a TALY of 221 percent.
The TALY for operating profits in
that period was 415 percent. This
was done by establishing key
success factors: a clear and
World Digest
Bata World Digest August 7, 2015
Weekly Digest News from around Bata World
PERSON OF THE WEEK: COO Jorge Carbajal Retiring After 27 Years
consistent vision from strong
central direction, standardization
of retail store concepts with a
common collection procured
through CFS [China Footwear
Services], targets supported by
clear strategies and a concise
business plan, manufacturing
modernization, and improvement
of processes and execution with a
highly enthusiastic and motivated
management team.
What are the notable ways
you have seen Bata grow
over the years?
Mr. T. [Thomas] G. Bata created the
MBUs [meaningful business units] in
2002, having the organization develop
regions close to the market. For
example, Latin America, Europe and
the Bata International Group in Asia
and Africa. This worked out very well,
with each region developing their
team and building the business in a
cohesive and progressive way. I was
fortunate enough to be given the
opportunity to run the Bata
International Group West region in
2005 and more regions subsequently.
And with a great team of leaders and
people, the years from 2005 to 2012
marked the most significant growth in
[Bata] Emerging Markets.
And in what ways has it
stayed the same?
The organization has stayed close to
the market in the business through
the regional MBUs, and this has
stayed the same today. And this is still
working well, even though currently
we are facing some difficult times. But
the potential for growth in the
Emerging Markets is immense, and so
I am sure the company will pull
through and increase the profitability
of the business soon.
Who were your most
important mentors at Bata?
What advice would you give
executives on how to foster
relationships with mentees?
Mr. Roberto Longo was my first
mentor, who taught and guided me
well on how to run the retail
operations in Bata Malaysia. And my
second and very important mentor
was Mr. Rino Rizzo, who taught me
about vision and managing strategies
in the business with good foresight
and understanding of the markets
and managing people at every level. I
am thankful to both of them.
My advice would be to keep close to
the young generation and to be
generous in guiding and teaching
them how to be productive and great
leaders. Also to encourage them to
write down their goals and aspirations
for what they want to do and be in the
coming years. I personally did this
during one of the Bata executive
courses and achieved my goals true to
what I had written.
After a career like yours, you
have deep knowledge of
Bata and take a piece of
company history with you in
a way. Can you share a
memory with BWN readers?
I will never forget one of the best
experiences I ever had: it was in Kenya
back in 2006. It was a fabulous Bata
executive meeting event led by Mr.
T.G. Bata and attended by the Bata
family, some Compass board directors
together with the entire worldwide
group of senior executive managers
and their spouses. Most memorable
was the ride in a hot air balloon as we
glided through the air with the
beautiful African landscape below us! I
was so impressed with the energy and
passion of Mr. T. [Thomas] J. and Mrs.
Sonja Bata!
Is there anything else you
would like to add?
I would like to send my personal
thanks firstly to the Bata family,
namely the late Mr. T.J. Bata, Mrs.
Sonja Bata, Mr. T.G. Bata, Mrs.
Christine Schmidt, Mrs. Monica Pignal,
Mrs. Rosemarie Bata, the Compass
board of directors, Mr. Jack Clemons,
the Group managing directors and
senior management and their teams
in the Emerging Markets for their
support and trust all these years.
Never forgetting too, everyone else in
Bata and associated with Bata – I
thank you all for making my life and
career here a most unforgettable and
successful one. I leave with a full heart
knowing that I have done my absolute
best for the organization, and I have
no regrets whatsoever. Lastly, I wish
everyone all the very best in all your
future undertakings. Anything is
possible – you can achieve it if you
believe it!
World Digest
Bata World Digest August 7, 2015
Weekly Digest News from around Bata World
Aloysius Tan,
Weinbrenner Group
product manager, took
Bata World News behind
the scenes at
Weinbrenner, without
forgetting to give us a
look at new and exciting
projects.
INTERVIEWS
BATA Group
Q & A with Aloysius Tan
When did you join the Bata
team?
I joined Bata Malaysia in December
2008 as product category manager.
That was after a previous seven-year
stint as category manager at Bata
Singapore, where I was in charge of
Bata Men’s, Power and international
brands. Then in 2010, when I was
offered the position of Weinbrenner
product manager to revamp the
brand, I took the opportunity and the
challenge by accepting this post.
What do you find most
interesting or challenging
about your current role?
My current role gives me immense
opportunity to show my creativity. It
was challenging to revamp the brand
image and maintain the brand
direction successfully for years.
Weinbrenner is a success story in
many countries, and it is now
challenging to maintain the growth
year after year.
What do you regard as your
proudest achievement for
Bata so far?
In the past years, I have been
emphasizing to the buyers at every
single SRM [Shoeline Review Meeting]
the brand direction and product
segmentations. The buying pattern of
the buyers makes me believe that I
am successful in setting the right
direction. The buyers now believe and
trust in the regional direction and the
products as they have seen the sales
results in their countries. This I believe
is my proudest achievement.
What is at the top of your
“to do” list for the second
half of 2015?
The effort of educating new and
existing buyers on Weinbrenner
directions is an ongoing process. I will
support the buyers to understand the
brand’s directions and provide a
strong Weinbrenner collection. I’m
sure every country will be able to
enhance the brand in their stores. It
will bring the brand to the next level
with good results.
What makes Weinbrenner
stand out in the footwear
market?
The collection itself is the winning
point. The products developed are
outstanding in terms of design,
quality, and price point. Of course
innovation in the collection makes
it stand out in the footwear market.
Technology such as lightweight
technology, which is my latest
addition, has been highly
appreciated. Customers know that
Weinbrenner is a brand that they
can trust in every aspect.
Where do you see
Weinbrenner in five years?
The retail market is changing every
day and every moment. Weinbrenner
World Digest
Weekly Digest News from around Bata World
Q & A with Aloysius Tan
as a brand needs more brand
awareness among customers. A great
collection is successful when our
customers are aware of it and the end
consumers appreciate it. In five years I
believe Weinbrenner can double its
current market share.
Which Weinbrenner
products are you most
excited about at the
moment?
I am most excited about the “New
Extraordinary Lightweight” hiking
shoes, and the 150-gram outsole
project called “Hobart,” which was
highlighted in Bata World News on
May 27. I will continue doing research
and keep pushing boundaries to
innovate new-generation
Weinbrenner collections for buyers.
What is something you wish
more people knew about
Weinbrenner?
We really need more push to enhance
the brand in-store in terms of
marketing, new product arrival
highlighting and so on. We must use
social media as the new generation
tools to promote and get more
exposure of the brand to young
people.
What tip would you give a
young person interested in
one day holding a position
like yours?
I would say understanding the
company culture along with
understanding the fast-paced,
changing market is very important.
Bata is a company where one can
make their career and can have a long
journey of learning.
For generations, Bata people
have come from diverse
backgrounds and traveled
around the world. What is
your favorite food, either
from your home country or
abroad?
I was working in Thailand for around
ten years. Without a doubt my favorite
food is “tom yum gai” soup from
Thailand, especially cooked by my
lovely Thai wife.
Bata World Digest August 7, 2015
World Digest
Bata World Digest August 7, 2015
Weekly Digest News from around Bata World
Looking for new talent is
one of the biggest
challenges that
companies currently
face.
STORE
BATA Group
New Recruitment Concept
for Bata Italy
The Bata Recruiting Day is a new event
designed to allow the company to
meet a large number of candidates in
a short space of time, to enable them
to select the most promising
applicants in order to create teams for
new store openings.
of social media such as Facebook,
LinkedIn and Twitter. The enthusiasm
of the team generated a lot of
curiosity in terms of the brand and the
opening of the new Treviso store, and
the team met over 60 candidates in
just two hours on the day of the event.
The team responsible for the concept
consisted of: Sergio Coretti, district
manager; Alice Carraretto, store
manager; Erica Dariol and Veronica
Semenzato, sales staff; Silvia Zecchini
and Elena De Marchi, marketing
department; Antonella Pivaro, loyalty
programs and CRM project manager;
Fabrizio Gangale, training manager,
and Annalisa Bassi, recruitment and
development manager.
Coretti commented: "The recruiting
day was a success because it
improved our brand awareness all
over the town before the opening,
and allowed us quickly to meet a
large number of candidates from
whom we will identify the best
performers for the new Bata store
team in Treviso.”
In addition, the activity was strongly
supported by Lucrezio Bartoli, retail
operations manager for Bata Italy, and
human resources manager Matteo
Crivellaro.
The first aim of the event in Treviso
was to create interest in the brand,
before the day itself, through the use
After the success of the first Bata
Recruiting Day, the concept will
continue to be used for future
openings in the region.
World Digest
Bata World Digest August 7, 2015
Weekly Digest News from around Bata World
The 36th annual Bata
Sunday Times Schoolboy
Cricketer of the Year
award was held in
Colombo on July 24.
CORPORATE
BATA Group
Bata Supports Young
Cricketing Talent in Sri
Lanka
In charge of the event were
Inderpreet Singh, company manager
of Bata Sri Lanka, along with an
organizing committee from the
company, comprising of staff and
management. Two hundred of the
best schoolboy cricketers on the
island were awarded with certificates
and trophies, along with Bata gift
vouchers, for their talents shown on
the field. Furthermore, Bata provided
the youngsters with a complete cricket
equipment package from headgear to
shoes, helping them to continue their
promising careers.
Chaminda Vass, former fast bowling
coach for New Zealand and Sri Lanka,
and one of Sri Lanka's all time top fast
bowlers, was present at the event as
special guest for the evening, and his
speech was a great motivation for all
present.
The Bata Sunday Times Schoolboy
Cricketer Award was collected by
Charith Asalanka from Richmond
College, Galle, and the runners-up title
was awarded to Avishka Fernando
from St. Sebastian’s College,
Moratuwa. St. Peter's College won the
All-Island Best Team Award for their
excellent performance over the
season, and the team from Lumbini
College, Colombo claimed the runnersup spot.
Entertainment for the event was
provided by Sri Lanka’s most popular
singer, Lahiru Perera, along with the
country's award winning dance troop,
Royal Warriors, and vocalist Shermain
Wills. A fashion show featuring Bata
products, showcasing the latest
designs, added additional excitement
to the evening.
Singh commented: "Bata Sri Lanka
is proud to support the country's
young cricketers, and we hope that
as many children as possible will
continue to play the game. This
year's event was a great success
and an inspiration to everyone."
World Digest
Bata World Digest August 7, 2015
Weekly Digest News from around Bata World
At the helm of the
largest footwear
company in the country,
Bata Zimbabwe’s
management team
recognizes that the
company’s responsibility
to the community goes
beyond employment.
BCP / SUSTAINABILITY
BATA Group
Bata Zimbabwe’s
Vocational Training
Program Is a Step Ahead
Besides its size – the company
produces 3 million pairs of shoes a
year – it also has a 76-year history in
Zimbabwe. So it’s no surprise that, by
setting up a private-public
partnership, Bata has provided an
example to the business community.
Working closely with the Mupfare SelfHelp Training Centre, which offers
vocational training to people who
probably never had the opportunity to
finish school, Bata Zimbabwe
established a new business model
that serves an educational and supply
purpose.
As company manager, Ronjoy
Sengupta – who this week became
Bata’s head of retail for Africa –
recollected: “When I first saw the
training center, I realized there is this
huge opportunity to make shoes here
in Zimbabwe. We have retail stores
and are expanding our network. So I
asked: Why don’t we teach
disadvantaged young adults how to
make shoes and give them the
opportunity to sell their own
products?”
Bata offers maintenance and
engineering support and supplies the
raw or part-processed materials. It
also trained both the lecturer and
students, refurbished the workshop
and machines, and provided health
and safety tools and guidance. Three
months later, a small team of trainee
shoemakers was producing up to
1,500 pairs of shoes a week.
“Bata was the first to offer this kind
of program. And now we have the
model in place, we want to
optimize it and then replicate it in
further training centers. Other
industries are also now following
our lead and setting up similar
workshops,” Sengupta said.
World Digest
Bata World Digest August 7, 2015
Weekly Digest News from around Bata World
Bata Australia recently
relaunched the
Bubblegummers brand
in the country, with the
aim of reaching a new
market and further
establishing the Bata
name in the region.
PRODUCT
BATA Group
Bubblegummers
Relaunched in Australia
The Bubblegummers PVC collection is
now on sale in Bunnings, Australia's
largest homeware department store,
joining the Bata Industrials PVC
collection that is already available in
the stores, and providing national
exposure for the Bubblegummers
brand.
Involved in the project were Michael
Wyatt, company manager of Bata
Australia; Chris Marion, key accounts
manager, and Jon Moore, NRS
manager.
The new additions further cement the
relationship between Bata and
Bunnings in Australia, also highlighting
the support of both companies for
local industry. The Bubblegummers
collection is produced locally at the
company's factory, using a new PVC
injection machine, increasing capacity
and improving efficiency.
Wyatt commented: “We are very
excited about this new opportunity:
firstly for our factory and local
production, and secondly to be
putting Bata Bubblegummers onto
the feet of a new generation of
Australians, making Bata a
household name.”
World Digest
Bata World Digest August 7, 2015
Weekly Digest News from around Bata World
In conjunction with the
holy month of Ramadan,
11 volunteers from the
Bata Children's Program
(BCP) Malaysia, led by
Geoffrey Moore, human
resources manager at
Bata Malaysia, and BCP
coordinator Romeyo
Ongkosing, organized an
event at the Holiday Villa
Hotel, in Subang Jaya.
BCP / SUSTAINABILITY
BATA Group
BCP Malaysia Holds Special
Ramadan Celebration for
Children
The event, which took place on July 8,
was in celebration of the breaking of
the fast, and was held in collaboration
with the regional social welfare office.
The evening was attended by 30
children from Rumah Tunas Harapan
Seri Kembangan and a branch of
Pusat Aktiviti Kanak Kanak, two
organizations that provide assistance
to children from poor backgrounds, or
those who have suffered abuse by
family members.
The event began with an opening
speech by Paolo Grassi, company
manager of Bata Malaysia, followed by
a speech from Wan Zarina Wan Salleh,
deputy director of the Selangor social
welfare office. Children were then
invited onto the stage to collect gifts
of money and Bata shoe vouchers,
presented by Grassi, Moore and
Zarina.
Other guests then joined the children
on the stage to cut the cake and take
group photos together. Following this,
Mohd Azhar, a representative of the
social welfare office, led a quick prayer
before the breaking of the fast began.
After the meal, some of the children
took to the stage to sing songs,
including the famous Hari Raya song,
“Balik Kampung.” The event concluded
with the children shaking hands with
other guests, and thanking the
volunteers from BCP Malaysia.
Moore was impressed with the BCP
program in Malaysia, commenting:
“Work should be our learning
ground for things we can use in our
own life and business. Then it will
no longer be just work. It will be
our preparation for children with a
better future.”
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World Digest
Bata World Digest August 7, 2015
Weekly Digest News from around Bata World
The 15th edition of the
annual Children, Baby
and Maternity Expo, the
leading kidsware trade
show in Asia, took place
in Shanghai from July 24
to 26.
CORPORATE
BATA Group
Bubblegummers a Hit at
China Kidswear Trade
Show
Young models from different
countries performed in a colorful and
fun-filled fashion show. The collection
features high-quality materials and
workmanship, offering fashionable
products with a colorful look that are,
at the same time, comfortable and
easy to wear.
Response to the collection was
overwhelmingly positive, and the 120
square-meter booth was packed with
expo visitors, trade clients, industry
associates and representatives from
the media. Visitors lined up to discuss
possible business opportunities with
the sales team.
Alan Lan, Bubblegummers brand
manager in China, stated: “We just
had a wonderful show. Thanks to
our fully dedicated and
professional team, this new
collection and branding effort will
definitely take the Bubblegummers
brand to a new level.”