After 4 years developing Okaïdi in Eastern Europe, Patrick Vancayseele has accepted a new mission: Oxybul’s international wholesale development and partnerships. Here he presents his mission, the Oxybul team, advantages and challenges on the international market and his roadmap.
- Hi Patrick. You’ve just changed roles in the ÏDKIDS community. What is your job now?
I’m responsible for Oxybul’s international wholesale development and partnerships.
- How will your career path help you in this new role?
My 4.5 years in international development for Okaïdi have trained me in multicultural environments and B2B relations. My expertise: discovering and developing business on the international market.
My second asset is my network of internal contacts. I am very well-connected with my managers for customs and excise, warehouses, IT and logistics. Today this will help me develop Oxybul even faster. Which is great because each new partnership is a story, a process and a specific market!
“Each new partnership is a story, a process and a specific market!”
- Have you chosen a new team?
Yes and no! I’m delighted to have the extensive experience of Emilie Worth and her 18 years on the international market firstly for Okaïdi, then Jacadi and Oxybul since February 2017. Emilie knows the back and front office inside out.
And since 1st September, Laura Hamel has been working with us a few days a week, managing the entire back office operations. Laura has also been working a few days a week in Okaïdi stores for 3 years. We just need to learn to work together but we each have solid corporate culture and brand foundations and our skills are very complementary.
- What is your day-to-day work like?
It’s intense as we have openings imminent in 2 new countries…
- In Serbia: we are finalising our product availability to open a corner in a Leto store in Belgrade. We are working with the same partner with whom we recently opened 6 corners in Leto stores in Greece.
- And, spoiler alert, we are finalising the deliveries of all first orders for a new country outside the EU, so more complicated when it comes to customs duties.
In parallel, we are continuing to develop in Denmark where we have an exclusive partnership with BabySam, the local leader. Oxybul is already present in 33 BabySam stores. We are supporting this partner by enriching the Oxybul offer and continuing their cultural adaptation to the brand: a virtuous circle that will move their sales forward. We should have been there this week to train the teams. We are switching to digital resources because of COVID but we’re continuing the training.
“The priority area for development is EU countries because we share the same regulations. But we are not discounting any opportunities outside the EU!”
- What are Oxybul ‘s advantages on the international market?
What makes us unique is our expertise in child development through play. We are really selling our ability to co-create both with experts and parents. When we explain what we are working on, they are really interested. It is the benefits our Talent brands offer children that make a difference.
- And what challenges are you facing?
In general terms, Oxybul is starting from scratch on the international market. There are possible synergies with the group’s historic partners developed for Okaïdi, in textile retail. We must therefore identify key operators on the toy market and make a name for ourselves.
- What is your dream for Oxybul on the international market?
I want to see Oxybul toys throughout Europe, in benchmark toy stores! Tomorrow, we should be as famous as Djeco, Lego, Playmobil, Fisher…and known for our difference and our creativity.
- If you had a magic wand, what would you change to move forward faster?
What we’re missing today is IT flexibility to create prices, order products, invoice partners… My dream: a website where our partners could order their products directly with product visuals for them to see. Even if you are a small customer, with small orders. But otherwise, we have everything we need!
