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Most importantly, we truly recognise what the lighting world is
looking for and strive to support what it needs.
MICHAEL BROOKSBANK GENERAL MANAGER OF CHAUVET EUROPE
You were appointed Sales Manager when the UK office opened in March 2010 and have recently been promoted to General Manager of Chauvet Europe. What does this role change mean to you and to Chauvet? When the UK branch was first opened, my focus was to get the branch established with staff, logistics and operations. Now the marketplace is much wider, as we are serving the whole of Europe in regard to sales, shipping and service. With this expansion, management has become more paramount.
What attributes do you think helped you to secure the promotion? Any group needs a leader. The most beneficial person to lead a group is typically one who has experience in every aspect and understands every role. During my career, I’ve covered everything from accounting tasks and working in the warehouse, to performing installations, so I understand what is required. I also understand what has failed and more importantly what has succeeded.
How do your day to day duties differ now from the past 12 months or so? I oversee and manage a lot more now than in the early days. Before, I had a hand in customer liaisons with day to day support for our customer base. Now, I focus on operations as a whole. I still get involved, by virtue of having an intimate team, I will always be involved. It’s one of the reasons why I love my role, because it’s diverse. One day you’ll find me on the forklift and the next day I’ll be office bound.
Despite only being with the company for quite a short time, do you have any highlights from your Chauvet career so far? While the branch has been open for over a year, I have worked with Chauvet over the last decade at different
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times - some people think I’ve never left, actually. I was a distributor 10 years ago, then second time around I met with Albert Chauvet in regards to bringing products to UK, to service the country directly. We have developed a great bond over the years and it’s a testament to our strength as a team that we’ve come together again. To have a fully fledged branch servicing all of Europe is definitely a highlight.
The UK office seems to have been a great success - hitting target in the first year - how do you think you’ve personally contributed to that? I looked at the state of the marketplace in the UK to help shape what we’d need to do, what was feasible to do and what we’d want to do. And quite frankly, we worked our tails off to make it happen! The hours are long, especially when you factor in the time difference between us and our headquarters in the States, but it’s rewarding. What can I say, I’m thoroughly dedicated to the cause, if you will, and I can safely say everyone here feels the same way.
What are your goals for Chauvet in Europe over the next few years, and how do you plan to achieve them? I’d like to continue the rapid growth and development we’ve experienced in the UK and apply it towards the European marketplace. We anticipate that there is a lot more to do. We know there are more products to introduce to the market and there is our sister company, Iluminarc, which produces architectural lighting solutions, that we plan on introducing as well. My approach is to carefully consider every aspect before doing so. Chauvet has succeeded by producing the right product at the right price at the right time.
For a newcomer in the lighting world, how would you describe Chauvet as a company?
Simply put, I would say our three core tenets - value, innovation and performance. As I stated before, we strive to produce the right fixture at the right price, or value. Chauvet is not the high end, but it’s not the low end either. We focus equally on producing a great performing fixture and remaining innovative as far as design and technology. Most importantly, we truly recognise what the lighting world is looking for and strive to support what it needs. We do this with a sincere understanding - from an application perspective as well as the mechanical - of what our customers need. We don’t just have a catalogue of gear that we represent, we are a lighting company populated with lighting people. We are as invested in a project as you are and we can help you apply the appropriate fixtures to yield the best results.
Since Chauvet began in the 1980s, the lighting world has evolved significantly. What part do you think Chauvet has played in this? We’ve definitely played a part with LEDs. Chauvet is one of first manufacturers to incorporate the use of LEDs, which is now ubiquitous. The UK branch’s stock is 98% LED-fitted fixtures. I’d have to go back to value. The marketplace was just begging for products that were great performers and economical. We are now a midfield player with access to high-end customers that we wouldn’t have reached before.
If you were stranded on a desert island and only had three things with you, what would they be and why? My iPhone (with an unlimited data plan), a pair of headphones and a bottle of Jack Daniels.
Who would be your ideal dinner party guest? Albert Chauvet and if he couldn’t make it - John Lennon.
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