head of design
Golden Eagle International Group Co Ltd
Total years of experience :17 years, 0 Months
As the Head of Design at Golden Eagle Group, a renowned department store chain with 31 stores in southern China, I led a team of 62 individuals within the in-house design management team. Together, we supervised 13 projects, with a notable focus on the Nantong Golden Eagle World project. This ambitious endeavor aimed to integrate six distinct product lines, encompassing high-end residential spaces, waterfront retail streets, flagship commercial venues, Grade-A office towers, sky-high apartments, and luxurious five-star-rated hotels, aiming to establish the region as a major destination.
Key Responsibilities:
● Retail Value Enhancement: Led innovative projects aimed at enhancing Golden Eagle Group’s commercial real estate value, driving growth, and positioning the company as a market leader.
● Goal Setting and KPI Management: Established annual targets and key performance indicators (KPIs) for the design department, continuously optimising goals to improve efficiency and quality. Managed internal organisational processes within the design department, fostering seamless project execution through coordination with other departments.
● Design Management Excellence: Efficiently managed projects, ensuring timely deliveries and enhancing overall project execution capabilities. Conducted thorough technical reviews of concept, scheme, and construction drawings for group projects, ensuring compliance with design standards and specifications.
● Collaboration and Mentoring: Facilitated cross-departmental meetings to assess project positioning and feasibility, proactively resolving technical issues during the design process. Provided mentorship and oversight for training, job capability modeling, and recruitment initiatives within the design department, cultivating a skilled and motivated team environment.
Key Achievements:
✓ Customer-Centric Retail Environments: Contributed to creating bespoke retail environments that effectively delivered tenancies to the valuable assets, enhancing customer experiences and driving foot traffic. Elevated the commercial value of new projects through innovative design solutions, notably contributing to projects such as Nantong Golden Eagle World.
✓ Maximising Leasable Areas: Implemented strategies to create additional leasable areas, maximising Gross Leasable Area (GLA) and significantly increasing income generation opportunities.
✓ Luxury Brand Collaboration: Successfully partnered with luxury brands to showcase their authentic essence within the retail environments, aligning with the Golden Eagle brand identity and bolstering overall leasing capability.
✓ Department Management Excellence: Implemented standardised management practices to improve operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness, driving overall performance and profitability.
Overall, my tenure at Golden Eagle provided me with invaluable opportunities to elevate the value of their commercial real estate assets through innovative and customer-centric design solutions.
Wanda Group is distinguished as a prominent developer, with a portfolio encompassing over 500 shopping centers across mainland China. Over the past decade, Wanda has demonstrated remarkable agility, opening an average of 50 shopping centers annually. The timeline from initial concept to completion typically spans about 18 months, underscoring Wanda's ambitious pace and substantial workload. In my capacity as Principal Architect, I led the development of universal models for Wanda Plaza, streamlining and expediting the design process for the diverse array of projects underway. These universal models encompass both concept design and construction drawings, aiming to accommodate various site conditions with minimal modifications.
Key Responsibilities:
● Feasibility of Wanda Development: Led the development of Wanda Plaza universal models and conducted research on feasibility studies, enhancing market presence, design flexibility, and customer satisfaction. Developed the Wanda’s planning and design R&D system, focusing on the Wanda Plaza universal version.
● Retail Project Positioning: Spearheaded customer-centric planning and positioning for retail project renovations, ensuring alignment with diverse end-users' needs. Oversaw the development of renovation plans and upheld design quality standards throughout the process.
● Design Control Excellence: Established stringent renovation processes and architectural standards to ensure superior execution. Implemented control standards for Wanda Plaza projects, optimising renovation processes and facilitating design completion. Conducted thorough drawing reviews to uphold quality.
● Branding Adjustments for Wanda Plazas: Collaborated with entertainment brands to ensure authentic representation within retail environments, aligning with the Wanda Plaza brand identity and optimising overall leasing capability.
Key Achievements:
✓ Wanda Plaza Universal Models: Led the research and development of 24 sets of universal models for Wanda Plaza, accommodating site-specific conditions of 700 projects, covering various retail designs for different cities.
✓ Management Efficiency: Led a multidisciplinary team of 16 outsourced professionals in 60 days rapidly completing concept and detailed design drawings for numerous children's entertainment centers (Baby King) located within 97 Wanda Plazas.
✓ Cross-Functional Collaboration: Mentored the in-house design management team to adopt Wanda Plaza universal models consistently. Organised seminars with operational teams to address real-day-to-day issues, fostering continuous improvement in design outcomes.
✓ Innovation in Design Review: Innovated architectural planning with intelligent design software, optimising project forecasting. Developed intelligent software for Wanda Plaza’s customer flow simulation.
Overall, my tenure at Wanda empowered me to significantly contribute to the development of innovative and efficient design solutions for their commercial projects, leveraging both my technical expertise and leadership abilities.
iWhale Ltd. stands as a brand that I founded within the aroma diffusers industry, focusing primarily on the ladies' market. Overseeing production design, marketing, online sales, and global distribution, I gained invaluable insights into consumer products, innovation, and customer experience. Throughout my tenure, I spearheaded the development of new aroma diffuser products, expanded our global footprint through strategic partnerships, and bolstered our brand presence through effective marketing and sales strategies. The introduction of smart aroma diffusers with Wi-Fi connectivity and smartphone control was particularly rewarding, underscoring our dedication to innovation and customer-centricity.
Key Responsibilities:
● Brand Establishment and Market Expansion: Led the creation of the iWhale brand, achieving significant market penetration and diversifying the product range for iWhale.
● Product Innovation and Uniqueness: Pioneered the development of iWhale products, leveraging technology to craft unique features, setting the brand apart from competitors.
● Partnerships and Collaborations: Forged strategic partnerships to amplify iWhale's market presence and accessibility through retailers and e-commerce platforms.
Key Achievements:
✓ Global Product Sales: Sold over 50, 000 products worldwide, demonstrating the brand's global appeal and market penetration.
✓ International Expansion: Expanded the distribution network to over 12 countries worldwide, fostering international growth and market diversification.
✓ Brand Recognition: Successfully established the iWhale brand as a reputable player in the aroma diffuser industry, earning recognition for quality and innovation.
Overall, my tenure at iWhale provided me with valuable experience in leading a consumer products company, driving innovation, and delivering exceptional customer experiences. It was rewarding to witness the positive impact our aroma diffusers had on our customers' well-being.
Benoy is esteemed for its innovative designs across retail, mixed-use, and hospitality projects. My journey with Benoy commenced as an architect assistant in the Newark office immediately after graduating from university in 2006. Upon earning my qualification as an architect, I transitioned to Benoy's London office in 2010. Throughout my tenure, I had the privilege of contributing to several pivotal projects worldwide, enhancing not only my technical skills in design and construction but also fueling my passion for creating spaces that deeply resonate with people.
Key Responsibilities:
● Concept Design Leadership: Led diverse commercial projects globally, recognised as a Chartered Architect by RIBA, demonstrating concept design leadership.
● Design Management Excellence: Directed large-scale projects internationally, ensuring quality, budget, and client satisfaction through effective project management.
● Cross-Functional Collaboration: Facilitated seamless collaboration between design, engineering, and construction teams, driving project success and enhancing Benoy's global reputation.
Key Achievements:
✓ Global Project Delivery: Successfully delivered complex, multi-million-pound projects across various countries, showcasing expertise in high-quality retail design and meticulous attention to detail.
✓ Professional Qualification: Passed the RIBA Part 3 exam to become a Chartered Architect in 2009, demonstrating a commitment to professional excellence and continuous learning.
Overall, my experience at Benoy provided me with invaluable international exposure and the opportunity to hone my technical skills in designing innovative commercial spaces. It was a formative period in my career, shaping my approach to design and project management.