LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT SERIES: AN INTERVIEW WITH WITH SUNNY
November 27, 2024
In our Leadership Spotlight Series, we are highlighting executives across our Company who are driving innovation, transforming business practices, and positively impacting the communities where we live and work.
Sunny Lee, Vice President of Sourcing and Production at Centric Brands, Asia, joined the company in February 2024, and in a few short months has been instrumental in maintaining a steady supply chain and ensuring production targets are met by implementing more efficient supplier evaluation processes.
Reflecting on her time with Centric, Sunny highlighted her team’s success in realigning leadership strategies across subcategories, particularly in the accessories sector. This collaborative effort has addressed complex challenges and ensured alignment with Centric’s overall strategy, setting a clear path for an integrated business approach.
Sunny sat down with us to share more about her plans to integrate innovative sourcing strategies, reassess partnerships, and secure stable vendors in her team’s regions.
What have been the most significant achievements of your team since you started?
Over the past seven months, our primary focus has been on integrating internal information platforms, enhancing communication efficiency, and standardizing strategies across all sub-categories. We initiated this process by developing comprehensive workflow charts and RACI matrices for each category, ensuring alignment with the Production and Design teams in New York, as well as other cross-functional teams. Additionally, we consolidated fragmented data and files into a unified repository. My team has worked tirelessly to synchronize diverse regional and category-specific processes, fully aware of the critical importance of this integration.
One of our most notable achievements has been the successful collaboration on the China Derisk initiative, which involved transitioning to new countries and onboarding new factories. For instance, the transition for the Socks category was particularly challenging due to its specialized manufacturing requirements. We effectively managed cost negotiations and factory audits with our local director in Vietnam, while the Zhuji team provided essential factory training to handle complex order processes and rigorous quality controls. This collaboration ensured seamless operations, and the New York design team facilitated timely sample approvals, enabling smooth execution across regions and categories.
What aspects of Centric’s culture have you found most aligned with your leadership style?
Centric Brands is widely recognized for its dedication to streamlining operations and building strong partnerships with our factory collaborators. Our culture encourages innovation and the bold embrace of new ideas. Over the past five months, as I integrated into Centric, I had the privilege of visiting our offices in New York, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Qingdao, and Zhuji, as well as production management offices in Vietnam and Cambodia. These visits provided invaluable opportunities to address both immediate and strategic challenges facing the Accessories business.
In my discussions with various business partners, I consistently encountered a proactive commitment to listening and a genuine eagerness to embrace change. Centric’s culture of transparency and entrepreneurial spirit perfectly aligns with my leadership style, empowering me to take a bold and creative approach to exploring new regions, factories, and categories.
What are your hobbies?
The pandemic significantly influenced my lifestyle and values. During the mask mandates in Hong Kong, I began to explore hiking and jogging—activities I had previously avoided. I developed a newfound appreciation for running in the rain and subsequently began marathon training. In my first year, I completed a 6-mile race in 64 minutes, and in my second year, I finished a 13-mile race in 2 hours and 15 minutes. I am now preparing to run a full 26-mile marathon next year. Running has become a source of health and fulfillment for me, proving that with determination, any goal can be achieved. Each weekend, I find joy and inspiration in running through nature, embracing the belief that no challenge is insurmountable.
