Kopenhagen Fur streamlines top management and strengthens sales focus
After several years of very strong growth in business volume and corresponding expansion of physical facilities and staff in all areas, Kopenhagen Fur will now further consolidate its strengthened global position by implementing a number of organizational changes.
A major change in department structure means that a large number of areas reporting directly to CEO Jesper Uggerhøj will be changed into a new structure with a narrow Corporate Management consisting of Jesper Uggerhøj (CEO), Kåre Alfsen (Exec. V.P. Services, Finance and IT), Sander Jacobsen ( Exec. V.P. Animal Health and Public Affairs), Søren Valentin (Exec. V.P. Operations) and Jesper Lauge Christensen (Exec. V.P. Commercial).
The existing departments within sales, farmer relations and marketing will be united in a new commercial pillar headed by Jesper Lauge Christensen, who will also be responsible for China and Hong Kong and Kopenhagen Fur's creative departments and design studio (KiCK) in Copenhagen. The horizontal coordination between the sales and marketing departments will be strengthened considerably and we expect to achieve significant added value from the total resources spent on market activities. At the same time, the division's focus on collection of skins and sales will be strengthened since the administrative functions in relation to farmers and buyers will be transferred to Finance and IT.
All activities related to inbound logistics will be transferred from Farmer Service to Operations. This will ensure an even better and more efficient flow control all the way from farmer via auction house to customer.
Before summer, the three fields, Advisory Services, Research and Diagnostics, were reorganized with a number of changes aimed at improving knowledge production and dissemination of knowledge. These departments are now united in the pillar of Animal Health and Public Relations, which also includes communications and public affairs. The trade will continue to have a significant focus on animal welfare, animal health, environment, farm management, sustainability and business conditions.
Services, Finance and IT will in future comprise the finance functions and Group IT as well as the administrative management of account issues and services related to both skin suppliers and auction customers. Kåre Alfsen will retire during 2017 and a search for a new Exec. Vice President heading this area will soon be launched.
The staff functions HR and Executive Secretariat with reference to Jesper Uggerhøj will be supplemented with legal competence and a business development unit that is to handle project management at group level.
With these organizational changes, Kopenhagen Fur is geared to handle the continued development and future growth, to support suppliers and customers even more and to consolidate the company's global leadership position.