BEHIND_Meet our people

Get to know the People at Esprit!

What is a company if not for the People? Everyone has a story to tell and we are extremely proud of the People who keep our amazing company on top of its game. So grab a cup of coffee, take a moment and get to know the People behind the brand, what inspires them and how they became part of the Esprit Family!

Meet Leif

President Esprit Europe

If one person can be described as Esprit, it is Leif. Leif joined Esprit in 2003 after his graduation as Assistant to Merchandise Manager License Europe. Since then he has held several positions and is now President Esprit Europe, responsible for all Esprit operations in Europe. He embodies what is essential to Esprit, to develop its employees and tap their full potential. His focus lies on making Esprit strong and more digital for the future.

Leif will always pursue the new goals living up to the values of sustainability, diversity equity, and inclusion, while strengthening the European market as the heart of the company. At the same time, Leif will focus on the growth and expansion of the European business, strategically aligning all European channels, e-commerce, retail and wholesale, together with his team.

Meet Louisa

Sales Manager Satellite Markets

Louisa has a wide responsibility. She sees over the Esprit business in 10 countries including Russia, Bulgaria, Greece and the Ukraine. This covers 15 Esprit franchise stores, and around 50 multi-brand spaces. How does Louisa manage the complexity of the cultures? “All our partners appreciate the same thing – good quality products and responsive communication.”

As one of her main tasks Louisa supported the opening of a new store in Ukraine – this involved working on the contracts with legal, store layout with architecture, product selection and marketing. “It was a great experience to oversee the process from end-to-end. It’s amazing to create something new from the very beginning.”

Meet Ben

Head of Employee Experience

Ben is best described as an HR enthusiast, coffee lover and fresh air fanatic. Through his psychology studies, he was inspired by all topics related to HR. If you ask Ben, he will tell you that his job is the greatest at Esprit, since he is in charge of all issues related to employee satisfaction and employee experience. This involves defining our corporate culture, the processes and the tools of Esprit. The most important part of Ben's job is to listen to the needs and wishes of the employees and to ensure that Esprit continues to thrive.

Esprit attracted Ben by allowing him to work for a company that is "a great brand with a great history". He is convinced that he can make a real difference through his job. He can sustainably improve the lives of our employees and their motivation through his job. And it is not only major changes that are important, since even small changes can have a significant impact. When not at Esprit, he can often be found on the basketball court. There, he not only plays but also coaches a youth team.

	Meet Ben Head of Employee Experience

	Ben is best described as an HR enthusiast, coffee lover and fresh air fanatic. Through his psychology studies, he was inspired by all topics related to HR. If you ask Ben, he will tell you that his job is the greatest at Esprit, since he is in charge of all issues related to employee satisfaction and employee experience. This involves defining our corporate culture, the processes and the tools of Esprit. The most important part of Ben's job is to listen to the needs and wishes of the employees and to ensure that Esprit continues to thrive.

	Esprit attracted Ben by allowing him to work for a company that is "a great brand with a great history". He is convinced that he can make a real difference through his job. He can sustainably improve the lives of our employees and their motivation through his job. And it is not only major changes that are important, since even small changes can have a significant impact. When not at Esprit, he can often be found on the basketball court. There, he not only plays but also coaches a youth team.

Meet Bernadette

Manager Design Women Casual

Growing up in Esprit clothing and understanding the spirit of Esprit, Bernadette joined us 12 years ago as a design assistant. Meanwhile, as Design Manager Women Casual, she is responsible for our designers and our collection. Keeping in mind the maxim "Always stay curious, open-minded and dare to address and change things", she is able to thrive in such a fast changing and growing field.
In order to support the creative process, Bernadette emphasizes on maintaining a motivational atmosphere in which ideas and thoughts are expressed and embraced as creativity, transparency, enthusiasm and balance are the most important factors in collaboration.

Fashion is one of the fastest growing area that is constantly changing and reinventing itself and Bernadette is part of this path. Her job is to shape and influence the understanding of fashion and to incorporate her own values while always being real and up to date.
She finds distraction and tranquility from this demanding activity by running, spending time with her family and friends, and enjoying books.

	Meet Bernadette Manager Design Women Casual

	Growing up in Esprit clothing and understanding the spirit of Esprit, Bernadette joined us 12 years ago as a design assistant. Meanwhile, as Design Manager Women Casual, she is responsible for our designers and our collection. Keeping in mind the maxim "Always stay curious, open-minded and dare to address and change things", she is able to thrive in such a fast changing and growing field. In order to support the creative process, Bernadette emphasizes on maintaining a motivational atmosphere in which ideas and thoughts are expressed and embraced as creativity, transparency, enthusiasm and balance are the most important factors in collaboration.

	Fashion is one of the fastest growing area that is constantly changing and reinventing itself and Bernadette is part of this path. Her job is to shape and influence the understanding of fashion and to incorporate her own values while always being real and up to date. She finds distraction and tranquility from this demanding activity by running, spending time with her family and friends, and enjoying books.

Meet Jatin

Vice President, Head of Customer-Relationship-Management

Working for Esprit means for Jatin "working with people who have a growth mindset, diverse backgrounds and a can do attitude". Jatin joined the Esprit family and has grown through the ranks as the importance of CRM has accelerated. His focus is to ensure a great customer experience for our clients by working continuously on all touchpoints of our clients. As a team leader, it is equally important for him to deliver a great employee experience to his team. To achieve this, he places particular emphasis on empowering his team, enabling them to make their own decisions and prioritize their work.

Personally, it is important for Jatin to never stand still and to keep learning since "learning is a lifetime journey, which you should always continue". Therefore, he reads 2-3 business books every month. Through his team and their innovative and different perspectives, Jatin can also acquire valuable insights. Besides his work, he enjoys taking time to meditate in order to disconnect from his work thoughts.

Meet John

Head of Design, Esprit Women Design Department

John Connor started life in Belfast, Northern Ireland. At 19, going against his parents’ dreams of him becoming a policeman, John moved to London. There he studied at the world-famous art and design college Central Saint Martins whose former students include John Galliano and Alexander McQueen. “That experience fundamentally changed the way I look at the world” he says. John started as a fashion illustrator, but he wanted to know how clothing was put together, how it was structured.

That led him to pattern making and eventually design, work which took him to London, New York and Milan. John’s role at Esprit is to ensure there is a ‘red thread’ through the aesthetic of the women’s collections. After the direction for each line is established, he sets about travelling, getting inspiration and sketching. For John the essence of Esprit is quality and value for money, “items she can wear through the seasons.”

	Meet John Head of Design, Esprit Women Design Department

	John Connor started life in Belfast, Northern Ireland. At 19, going against his parents’ dreams of him becoming a policeman, John moved to London. There he studied at the world-famous art and design college Central Saint Martins whose former students include John Galliano and Alexander McQueen. “That experience fundamentally changed the way I look at the world” he says. John started as a fashion illustrator, but he wanted to know how clothing was put together, how it was structured.

	That led him to pattern making and eventually design, work which took him to London, New York and Milan. John’s role at Esprit is to ensure there is a ‘red thread’ through the aesthetic of the women’s collections. After the direction for each line is established, he sets about travelling, getting inspiration and sketching. For John the essence of Esprit is quality and value for money, “items she can wear through the seasons.”

	Meet Louisa Area Manager Satellite Markets

	Louisa has a wide responsibility. She sees over the Esprit business in 12 countries including Russia, Bulgaria, Croatia and Greece. This covers 15 Esprit franchise stores, and around 50 multi-brand spaces. How does Louisa manage the complexity of the cultures? “All our partners appreciate the same thing – good quality products and responsive communication.”

	This year Louisa supported the opening of a new store in Croatia – this involved working on the contracts with legal, store layout with architecture, product selection and marketing. “It was a great experience to oversee the process from end-to-end. It’s amazing to create something new from the very beginning.”

	Meet Jatin Vice President, Head of Customer-Relationship-Management

	Working for Esprit means for Jatin "working with people who have a growth mindset, diverse backgrounds and a can do attitude". Jatin joined the Esprit family and has grown through the ranks as the importance of CRM has accelerated. His focus is to ensure a great customer experience for our clients by working continuously on all touchpoints of our clients. As a team leader, it is equally important for him to deliver a great employee experience to his team. To achieve this, he places particular emphasis on empowering his team, enabling them to make their own decisions and prioritize their work.

	Personally, it is important for Jatin to never stand still and to keep learning since "learning is a lifetime journey, which you should always continue". Therefore, he reads 2-3 business books every month. Through his team and their innovative and different perspectives, Jatin can also acquire valuable insights. Besides his work, he enjoys taking time to meditate in order to disconnect from his work thoughts.