Demand for luxury goods in Asia has risen dramatically in recent years and, as the industry becomes more complex, retailers are struggling to recruit management of the right calibre.
At Louis Vuitton this need is pressing as the firm's maisons or headline stores, such as the one on Canton Road in Kowloon, employ as many as 150 people. This size of store presents management withformidable challenges, which can only be tackled by someone with a solid business management background.
To combat this, Louis Vuitton has introduced its Futura programme to the region to recruit MBA graduates from top business schools. The programme, which has been running internationally for some time, will see the president of Louis Vuitton Asia-Pacific, Jean-Baptiste Debains, visiting the schools to introduce the company. Some talks have already taken place and Louis Vuitton hopes to recruit five to 10 staff this year.
The aim is to hire quality individuals with fresh ideas, and to develop them into top management. Where they end up will depend on their strengths and preferences. They could become managers in communications, finance, logistics, or even country managers.
'We are looking for people with an entrepreneurial spirit,' Mr Debains said. 'We want people who are able, in a constructive way, to challenge the way things are done and bring new ideas and propositions to the company.'
The luxury goods industry is not always understood and graduates may not immediately consider it as a possible future career. Mr Debains spends time during his talks at the business schools describing the industry to the students, sharing his experience, inviting them to come along to the stores and repair centres to see and feel the products for themselves.