Welcome our new series about St. Pierre’s area managers!
Today we’re back in Auckland, talking to Johnny, one of our area managers. Our AMs play an important role, linking head office and shops, supporting stores with new initiatives and bonuses, and feeding ideas and opinions back from shops to head office – so things go better for everyone! Johnny spends a lot of time visiting stores, and his broad experiences mean he always has something to add.
Born in Vietnam, Johnny successfully graduated with a Bachelor in Manufacturing Mechanical Engineering. After moving to New Zealand, he completed a NZ Diploma in Business level 6, during which time he also worked at The Coffee Club Westfield Manukau, and in the menswear department in Farmers Manukau. His next job was at St Pierre’s Elliot St, and Johnny recalls with a laugh that
All of a sudden, six years have passed and I am area manager for CBD and West Auckland! I started as part-time then full-time staff at Elliot St., then I moved to the K Road store as assistant manager in April 2018. In October 2018, I got promoted to K Road store manager.
In early 2021 I was offered a new challenge as area manager, which I’ve been doing since February. Yes, there’s been changes for sure. Firstly, this is a new experience and a big challenge for me as I am responsible for a much bigger team, but it is also a great opportunity to work with amazing people in different stores as well as our head office team. There is so much creatively and energy at St. Pierre’s, I love it! And secondly, I need to get my driver license sooner, that would make my job a lot easier, he smiles ☺
With new stores opening, and then the COVID-19 outbreak, it has been a hectic first 8 months in the job. But Johnny has clear aims in mind, which he sticks to: My goals at the moment are to help all new managers in my area run their stores effectively. I want to help all the stores that I look after so they can achieve their Bonus Targets after we move back to level 1 in Auckland.
We reckon one of the reasons Johnny enjoys his work so much is that he’s a real foodie! He loves to discover and create new tastes, commenting that I love all Asian food such as Thai, Chinese, Korean, Japanese food – and of course Vietnamese food! The taste of home is very important to me too!
Johnny embodies the spirit of the helping hand. His broad experiences mean he can contribute to your shop’s operations in unexpected ways – so next time he’s in your store, be sure to take on board his suggestions, and share your ideas with him! St. Pierre’s has a strong culture of being “people first”, supporting each other as we set challenging goals. Here’s to everyone across the St. Pierre’s Group working together and aiming high!
Glen McCabe
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