first person

five Questions for …

After starting his career as a management consultant, Andrea Dorigo, president of Luxottica Wholesale North America, entered the optical industry in 2003 at Safilo and joined Luxottica in 2005 as European sales manager. He later became managing director for Luxottica's Wholesale and Retail businesses in U.K. and Ireland, and region director for Northern Europe. Since May 2010, he has been in charge of Luxottica's Wholesale business in North America. Recently, he discussed his experiences with EB.

EB How has Luxottica wholesale changed under your watch?

AD It was evident to me after a few months that something was structurally not right in the way we were running our business. Deeper than that, I think we had lost a culture of service and some of the pride of being a great manufacturer.

We reviewed the organization and reshaped it to better serve our customers. We created a new executive team blending long-standing Luxotticans with people from outside the industry. These new leaders are strong, motivated, share the same values of customer focus and teamwork.

EB How does the reorganized group view dispensers?

AD The investment we made in a new leadership team is to renew our commitment to the independents. One of the mistakes we might have made in the past is thinking that we were bigger than some of our customers, and we're not. Our biggest challenge today is to be an ECP-friendly company.

EB What's the benefit of working with Luxottica?

AD The quality of our products. The appeal of our brands is also a great benefit as we maintain an unrivaled portfolio of brands. Last, but not least, our people, with their professionalism and complete dedication to our customers.

EB Where do you see business opportunities for ODs?

AD ODs in the U.S. have positioned themselves as doctors first, and that has been a great strategic choice. But for that reason, they sometimes miss opportunities on the dispensary side. Patients want to walk out of the doctor's office with perfect vision but also looking great in their new glasses.

EB How has Luxottica changed or stayed the same over 50 years?

AD We're a $10 billion company, but in some ways, we are still a small company. Leonardo Del Vecchio can be seen as the Italian version of the American dream. Fifty years after founding the company, he is still there to guide and inspire us.