Yang Tan DAN YANG

Tell us about your role at Fenix.

As the sales manager of FIS, I am in charge of the overall follow-up of orders received from Fenix Tokyo. It's been 17 years since I joined the company at the age of 17, so I can now master the whole process from order intake to delivery, to include keeping constant track of the production status, anticipate future developments and strive for execution and adjustments. In addition, I make sales forecasts and planning, liaising with the factory on a daily basis to monitor progress and identify problems in advance. This is my job.

Please tell us what you want to challenge and what you are aiming for in your position.

I am a very impatient, so when a problem arise, I must resolve it as soon as possible. As a consequence I may chase my counterparts too much, hence I may reconsider this approach. However, I cannot describe the pleasure of providing our customers with the right price, quality and service level.

Sometimes, though, I feel that concentrating uniquely on my daily tasks does limit my horizons. What are our competitors' initiatives? How can I bring added value to Fenix by learning from the best players in our industry? Following the lead of Bin Wu (Wu Akira) I am trying to adopt a more holistic approach in my sales activity.

Please tell us what you are trying to do outside of work, what you are looking forward to, and your hobbies.

Sometimes I get very anxious for work-related reasons, hence I have been practicing Yoga for many years to exercise and to relax my mind. But I also like to enjoy my favorite meal to the fullest (laughs). So my motto is eat a lot, exercise a lot. This is why I adore travelling to places where I can enjoy both my passions, like Japan which I visited many times (Kinugawa, Yufuin and Beppu Onsen)!

I can speak Japanese and I do love that country very much.

How do you find working with Fenix's?

I wouldn't be here without Fenix. Fashion and Japan have been my keywords since I was a student as I do appreciate aesthetic things. Therefore, I also love the beautiful new office in Suzhou and I'm glad that we could decide the furniture and interior by ourselves, making it as if our own house.