Yoko Oku

Experience

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  Fast Retailing

  Mar 1996 - Feb 1998

  Merchandiser-Sportswear Department.

  UNIQLO/Fast Retailing is one of the largest fashion Japanese retail chains, present in all Asia, and rapidly expanding in the EU & USA. As Merchandiser in the Sportswear Department, I shared the following responsibilities:-Collection Development/Selection for each season, deciding cost and quantities to achieve sales budget. -Product Development (sourcing fabrics, preparation of drawing and size specs for samples, approvals, cost negotiation…).-Factory Management (order follow-up, approval samples, quality control, shipment coordination, trouble shooting...).-Coordination with retail structure (regularly visited UNIQLO shops to ontain market intelligence regarding trends, customers´preferences, and competitors´strategies). Show less

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  International Kansai Trading Co. Ltd.

  Feb 1999 - May 2001

  Production Manager

  International Kansai Trading Co. Ltd. was a Japanese SME trading company headquartered in Osaka. As Production Manager, I was responsible for:-Market Research (trends of the female fashion business, target customers aged 18-30 years).-Product Development: selection of styles, design & drawing, size specs, sourcing of fabrics, sample preparation, costing…).-Customer Management (presentation of product range, negotiation of sales price, quality, selection of models, shipment dates…).-Factory Management (selection of factories in China, sample confirmation of samples, order placement, quality assurance, shipment...). Show less

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  Pacific Dunlop

  Jun 2001 - Jul 2004

  Merchandising/Sales Manager

  Pacific DUNLOP is a Chinese/Australian manufacturer of lingerie & sportswear for major brands: M&S, Bonds, Victoria Secret, Liz Clairborne... As Merchandising/Sales Manager I was responsible for:-Product Development, coordinating the Design team (sourcing materials, selection of styles, sample preparation, costing, negotiations with fabric suppliers in China…).-Product presentation to customers, negotiating of prices, shipment dates, quantities and quality levels.-Sample approval (bulk fabric quality, size specs, accessories, packaging, fittings...).-Fabric sourcing (price negotiation with suppliers, delivery schedule, quality assurance...).-Production follow-up (production process, quality, delivery schedule, trouble-shooting...). Show less

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  Dogi International Fabrics

  Jul 2004 - Mar 2009

  Area Manager (Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, & Korea)

  DOGI is a Spanish manufacturer of elastic and technical fabrics, a major supplier for international fashion, lingerie and sportswear brands, with factories in China, Philippines, Germany and Spain. As Area Manager (for Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, & Korea) I was responsible for:-Development & management of key-accounts (Under Armour, Triumph, Wacoal...). -Preparation of budget, sales strategies and sales objectives. -Presentation of new fabrics to customers (explaining the benefits and applications of each product). -Monitoring fabric trends & helping in the development of new fabrics based on requests from customers (changing knitting construction, weight, choice of yarn and knitting machine...). -Customer & order management with our factories: monitoring production capacity, order placing, production follow-up, coordination of delivery schedule, quality control, factory audits, trouble-shooting... Show less

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  TEDISA (Textil Distribuidora S.A.)

  Oct 2009 - Feb 2010

  Production Manager

  TEDISA is a trading house, supplier of fashionable clothes for major brands –Cortefiel, Titto Bluni…- and work uniforms –Spanish police and armed forces. As Production Manager, I was responsible for:-Factory Management: price negociation, order placement, quality control, follow-up of deliveres, trouble-shooting...-Management of a small Production team (2 staff & 5 in China)

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  Bacci Sourcing & Consulting, SL

  Mar 2010 - Aug 2013

  Production Director

  BACCI is a textile trading house, supplier of major distributors in Spain & Portugal (ECI/Hipercor, Carrefour Spain, Alcampo, Eroski, Dia, Sonae/Zippy...) and other international markets (Cencosud, Carrefour Global Sourcing, Auchan...). As Production Director, I was responsible for:-Sourcing new factories in Asia (in China, Bangladesh, and India).-Factory Management: price negotiation, order placement, quality control, follow-up of deliveries, trouble-shooting...-Customer Management (production issues): arrangement of audits and final inspections for key customers.-Management of production team in Spain (8 merchandisers), and coordination the work-load with pattern maker and designers.-Management of China & Bangladesh offices/staff: set-up offices, recruit/retain staff, arrangement of quality checks (in line and final inspection), sample checks, approvals in origin... Show less

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  El Corte Ingles

  Aug 2013 - Oct 2017

  Business Development Manager (Merchandising & Sourcing Manager) - Lingerie, swimwear & sportswear

  EL CORTE INGLES (ECI) is the biggest department store in Europe, and ranks fourth worldwide. With over 80,000 employees, ECI is one of the largest companies in Spain, the only remaining department store chain, and the owner of several associated retail businesses, including Hipercor (Hypermarket), Sfera (fashion), Bricor (DIY)... As Business Development Manager (Merchandising & Sourcing Manager), I was fully responsible for the supply chain management, sourcing and production for the own brands of lingerie, swimwear, sportswear, sleepwear and complements of ECI, Hipercor and Sfera, managing 2 merchandising teams in the buying offices of ECI in Shanghai and Hong Kong (+20 Merchandisers and Category Managers). Show less

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  October Group

  Oct 2017 - Oct 2020

  China Director & Chief Representative at October Group (Shanghai Buying Office)

  Eighteen October 2001, S.L. is a fashion brand and retailer company dedicated to the commercialization of fashion for women. October was born in the Mediterranean city of Valencia (Spain) in 2001, to fill an existing gap in the market, and bring fashion to large sizes, doing so with a proposal charged with trend, quality and competitive prices. October operates more than 80 own and franchised stores in main commercial streets and shopping malls in 16 countries. October Group also cooperates with top retailers in Europe and USA. To learn more see www.october.esI established and managed for 3 years October’s Rep. Office in China, and recruited, trained and led the Purchasing Team that manages the production of the company in the Far East (China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Thailand). My tasks included factory management services (sourcing of new factories, price negotiation, order placement, production follow-up, quality assurance, compliance with clients’ audit requirements, follow-up of shipment schedule, trouble-shooting…), collection development support for HQ (reviewing design sheets, developing spec sheets, assigning orders, and giving instructions to each supplier of the company), following up on development process (design correction, sample review, fitting with models, compliance with specs…) and garment review (fabric quality, print effect, pattern, workmanship…). Show less

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  Groupe ETAM

  Oct 2020 - now

  Managing Director - China

  Etam Group is a family-run, international French retailer and manufacturer of lingerie, home wear, and sportswear, and the owner of Etam, Undiz, Ysé, and Maison Cent Vingt-Trois brands. The holding was incorporated in France in 1916, and is currently established in more than 55 countries, with over 4,000 points of sale (for more info, see www.etam-groupe.com).On October 2020 I joined Etam Group as Managing Director of the Shanghai buying office, that is in charge of sourcing, product development and production in China and South East Asia. Show less