For someone so passionate about fine craftsmanship, Olga Adams could not have found herself more perfectly placed than in London’s New Bond Street – and more particularly the elegant and sophisticated premises located at No.174.
This is the international flagship store for Chaumet, the renowned jeweler and watchmaker, and Olga is Store Director.
Chaumet is today part of LVMH, but the maison has been creating high end pieces for close to 250 years, including bespoke items for the UK’s beloved Queen Victoria and her consort Prince Albert, as well as France’s Empress Joséphine.
“My career in luxury has always been built around craftsmanship, heritage and high value client relationships. And with time, of course, it has evolved into senior leadership roles,” says Olga.
What exactly does this particular leadership role entail?
“As Store Director, I’m essentially responsible for driving performance, safeguarding the brand identity and values, leading and developing our store teams, as well as managing our high-value client relationships. Retail is a very fast-moving and challenging environment, especially these days, so I sometimes think of myself as the captain of a ship navigating through turbulent waters!”
Going ‘back to school’
It’s for precisely this reason that Olga chose to go ‘back to school’ by signing up for our Executive Master’s in Luxury Management and Guest Experience.
“I firmly believe that the future for the luxury industry is one of ever more intense competition,” she says. “Only the best talents, equipped with well-shaped and future-ready skills, will be able to thrive and take advantage. For me, this program provides not only the strategic depth, leadership development and global perspectives I need to reach the highest levels of the industry, it also helps me to continue delivering excellence to my clients as their needs and desires evolve.”
As our recent article by Fabrice Gautron revealed, delivering excellence at the top echelons of the luxury sector requires every moving part to be in perfect harmony.
Olga likens the scenario to that of an orchestra, all members of which must combine flawlessly to produce beautiful music.
“What our clients experience in their interactions with us must come across as smooth and seamless, and it’s vital that they don’t feel all the effort and preparation which goes on ‘backstage’. There’s an amazing amount of teamwork involved delivering these experiences in the most credible and dreamy way. And it’s why I also believe that imagination and a good sense of humor are both essential ingredients to be a successful store leader.”
Sparkling resume
Chaumet is just the latest luxury name to appear on Olga’s impressive resume. She began her career working with the Giorgio Armani group, before spells with Roger Dubuis, Bulgari and the prestigious British brand Halcyon Days, which counts His Majesty Kings Charles III among its clientele.
“Luxury has always been my chosen sector but retail quickly became the natural focus of my career, because retail is where the emotional and human side of luxury comes to life. The heritage and savoir-faire of luxury make beautiful stories, but you must have somebody to whom you can tell those stories.
“That’s why I firmly believe that the experiential element is the future of this industry. Our clients are not just in search of the end product; they are seeking the full and memorable experience, and this places a huge responsibility on us to fulfil these expectations.”
Now a few months into her Executive Master’s program, Olga’s expectations of Glion have also been fulfilled.
“The program has been both demanding and enriching. Of course, it’s important to recognize that even being an Executive student requires effort and commitment; however, having done an Executive MBA in the past I was ready to give what it takes. The distance learning element provides the flexibility I need to balance a demanding leadership role with continuous personal development,” she adds.
All together now
Perhaps the highlight for Olga so far has been the Residential Week she spent in Switzerland with her fellow program participants.
“It was truly inspiring being able to engage directly with my peers and the Glion faculty, exchanging perspectives and strengthening the sense of community within our study group. We all come from very diverse backgrounds and from different parts of the world; and since we started last October we’ve become very active in communicating with each other and contributing our own skills and experience to the group.”
Though she’s currently focused on the twin responsibilities of store management and study, Olga is determined to continue her growth within the luxury sector, with a view to taking on strategic leadership roles where she can influence brand strategy, client experience and talent development.
“While my career so far has centered on jewelry and luxury timepieces, I would also be open to exploring opportunities in the hospitality sector as well,” she notes. “I think we really are seeing a cross-pollination between luxury goods and luxury hospitality. After all, we are serving broadly the same clients, and in both cases the experience is the essence.”
Olga signed off with a few words of advice to any professionals currently considering an Executive Master’s degree such as those offered by Glion.
“I would say that it has the potential to be one of the best experiences you will have in life. If you approach such a program with commitment, with curiosity and with self-discipline, the end result will be spectacular and should deliver incredible benefits for your future career.
“Our industries are evolving rapidly, and so continuous learning is becoming essential.”
• To discover more about Chaumet, visit the website
