Head of Wholesale Business

We are hiring a Head of Wholesale Business for our Fragrance and Beauty division.

The Head of Wholesale Business will  lead and scale CHANEL’s wholesale business across Department Stores, Travel Retail, and new distribution opportunities in Australia & New Zealand, positioning the House as the reference luxury brand within selective wholesale environments.

The Head of Wholesale Business defines and executes a selective, coherent on‑ and offline wholesale ecosystem. The role is accountable for wholesale performance, profitability, and partner excellence, while safeguarding long‑term desirability, image, and exclusivity of the House of CHANEL.

As a senior business leader, the role combines distribution strategy, commercial leadership, and business development to build long‑term partnerships and deliver distinctive, elevated client experiences fully aligned with CHANEL’s luxury standards and regional ambitions.

1. Wholesale Strategy & Business Leadership (Local Market & Travel Retail)

• Define and lead the overall wholesale strategy (on & offline) for ANZ Local Market and Travel Retail, aligned with Brand ambition, client strategy, and financial objectives.

• Own full P&L accountability for wholesale channels, driving sustainable, profitable, and value‑creating growth.

• Set clear performance objectives by channel; monitor results closely and translate insights into corrective and growth actions.

• Maximize e‑retail potential while protecting revenue, visibility, and client experience through strong partnerships with trade partners.

• Lead wholesale commercial governance, including Terms & Conditions and risk management.

• Act as a key contributor to the ANZ FBP Leadership Committee, supporting strategic decisions and organizational transformation.

2. Department Stores (On & Offline)

• Define and execute the Department Stores strategy in line with CHANEL’s brand positioning and omnichannel vision.

• Drive performance across Department Stores, covering sales, profitability, stock efficiency, and qualitative execution.

• Build and manage long‑term, trusted partnerships with key Department Store partners.

• Lead Joint Business Planning, commercial negotiations, and activation strategies.

• Ensure elevated brand representation and consistent, exceptional client experience and client journeys across all Department Store environments.

• Oversee Key Account Management to ensure integrated steering of performance, activations, and profitability.

3. Travel Retail

• Define and lead the Travel Retail strategy for ANZ, positioning CHANEL as a reference Brand in airports in terms of image, experience, and performance.

• Build strong partnerships across the Travel Retail ecosystem (retailers, operators, airport authorities).

• Leverage traveler insights and Travel Retail business intelligence to anticipate trends and unlock future growth opportunities.

• Define and implement commercial conditions that protect Brand equity while strengthening channel profitability, in alignment with Regional and Global teams.

• Oversee store openings and renovations (Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane), ensuring full alignment with Brand guidelines.

• Drive relevant animations, services, assortments, and experiential activations tailored to traveler behaviors and expectations.

4. New Business Development & Future Growth Opportunities

• Identify, assess, and structure new retailer and distribution opportunities representing meaningful growth levers for ANZ.

• Define relevant partnership and operating models aligned with CHANEL’s long‑term ambitions.

• Lead commercial discussions and negotiations to secure viable, value‑creating partnerships.

• Develop and pilot new business models (e.g. global distribution initiatives, specific New Zealand approaches, new retailer opportunities).

• Build robust business cases (potential, ROI, risks, scenarios) to support decision‑making and prioritization.

5. Retail Environment & Client Experience

• Ensure coherence, quality, and sustainability of the retail environment across all wholesale Points of Sale.

• Partner with internal stakeholders to deliver distinctive client experiences that fully express CHANEL’s luxury codes.

• Embed sustainability principles across store development and refurbishment projects.

6. Leadership & Capability Development

• Build, lead, and develop an expert, agile, and business‑driven wholesale and business development team.

• Define clear mission, priorities, and ways of working for the team.

• Develop strategic capabilities, autonomy, and accountability across the organization.

• Foster strong cross‑functional collaboration with Marketing, Retail, Finance, Supply Chain, and Global teams.

• Implement effective business steering tools (KPIs, dashboards, action plans) to drive performance and impact.

1. Senior Business Leader with Strong P&L Ownership

The ideal candidate is a business owner who drives sustainable, profitable growth while protecting long‑term brand equity.

• Proven accountability for wholesale sales growth, profitability, and margin delivery across multiple partners and channels

• Strong experience managing P&Ls at scale (Department Stores, Travel Retail, e‑retail, or multi‑channel ecosystems)

• Comfortable making trade‑offs between growth, desirability, distribution selectivity, and financial discipline

• Track record of driving performance through clear targets, governance, and disciplined execution

2. Wholesale & Omnichannel Distribution Expertise (On + Offline)

The profile must naturally operate across physical and digital wholesale environments, ensuring coherence and elevation.

• Strong experience in wholesale models, ideally within luxury and/or beauty and Travel Retail

• Solid understanding of e‑retail performance levers (visibility, conversion drivers, traffic, trade investment, content and execution standards)

• Ability to design a selective distribution ecosystem that is consistent across partners and touchpoints

• Strong sensitivity to client journeys and experience consistency across wholesale environments

3. Strategic Partnership & Negotiation Leader

This role requires the ability to build long‑term partnerships and deliver mutual value at the highest standards.

• Proven experience building and managing long‑term, trusted partnerships with senior external stakeholders

• Strong capability in Joint Business Planning, commercial negotiations, and activation frameworks

• Strong mastery of Terms & Conditions, contract structuring, and commercial governance

• Ability to protect CHANEL’s interests through disciplined risk management and clear decision frameworks

4. Entrepreneurial Business Development & Growth Builder

This role must unlock new growth opportunities while preserving CHANEL’s selective distribution and desirability.

• Strong business development experience (new retailers, new distribution opportunities, new operating models)

• Entrepreneurial mindset: able to identify opportunities early, test intelligently, and scale what works

• Ability to build robust business cases (potential, ROI, risks, scenarios) to support prioritization and decision‑making

• Comfortable challenging existing models while remaining aligned with CHANEL’s luxury standards

5. Luxury, Brand & Client Experience Mindset

This role must elevate the House through wholesale execution.

• Deep respect for brand equity, long‑term desirability, and selective distribution principles

• Strong sensitivity to luxury codes and qualitative execution in wholesale environments

• Ability to ensure consistent, distinctive client experiences across Department Stores, Travel Retail, and e‑retail

• Balances short‑term performance with long‑term brand strength

6. Transformation Leader – Governance, Ecosystem & Operating Model Evolution

This role plays a key part in shaping the future of wholesale for CHANEL.

• Proven experience leading transformation across channels, partners, or operating models

• Ability to implement governance, performance ownership, and steering tools (KPIs, dashboards, action plans)

• Comfortable operating in complexity and ambiguity; brings clarity, structure, and pace

• Strong cross‑functional leadership with Marketing, Retail, Finance, Supply Chain, Digital, and Global teams

7. Leadership Style & Personal Attributes

• Clear, structured, and decisive; operates at the right altitude while staying close to execution when needed

• Strong people leader: empowers teams, develops talent, and holds high standards of accountability

• Resilient, agile, and comfortable with ambiguity; solution‑ and action‑oriented

• Natural authority with humility; collaborative and driven by collective success