Could you give us an overview of Tamer Frères today?

Tamer Frères SAL was founded in 1895 by my great grandfather. The group is a diversified company that since its inception was involved in creating opportunities and excellence. Some of the early products we started working with were soap and chemicals. The growth of our well-structured family business was also due to the application of global standards that allow us to be equal with European, American and Middle Eastern companies. As a result we were awarded the ISO 9001, a milestone in our growth as a diversified multinational business.

Today, the vision of our CEO Jean Tamer, my father, inches closer to completion. A group whose activity revolves around distinct luxury brands and medical equipment, has diversified into IT solutions, chemicals, paramedical, and lab products. With all of my siblings now involved in the business, my dad is nurturing within all five of us a path to a vision for the new generation leading Tamer Frères.

“I returned to the group nine years ago, first as a brand marketing coordinator and then as a brand manager. Today, I hold an executive position within our luxury division representing high-end luxury watches and accessories.”

How long have you been in this business?

It is only true to say since I was born! But my real responsibilities started 9 years ago. I’m about to complete the first decade of my career. In a family business, especially with passionate leadership, you not only learn the business and the mechanics of running it, you are infused with the emotional engagement that makes the company and the full family of employees part of your identity and purpose in life.

Going back to your question, I started out in sales in one of our boutiques, learning the last mile of actually delivering a service and selling a precious luxury item. Then I ventured outside the group and worked in a multinational medical company; a key element in my professional growth is the perspective I got from being an employee in a multinational, which will surely be of great help in my carrier.

I returned to the group 9 years ago, first as a brand marketing coordinator and then as a brand manager. Today, I hold an executive position within our luxury division representing high-end watches and accessories with brands such as Audemars Piguet, Breitling, Omega, Montblanc, Swatch and Meissen in Lebanon. We have also opened boutiques in the Iraqi market, such as Montblanc and Chopard.

When you look at new sectors, are you looking for areas where there is the greatest need for investment?

When we look to invest in brands, we properly assess opportunities using business analysis and market studies. With a broad portfolio like ours it is key to identify the added value new products would bring. We focus on overall synergies and the customer experience that is served by each item and product we carry. Selecting brands to fit the portfolio and add value is important for the businesses.

Recently, our tendency is to focus on our core existing businesses. We are not venturing into fields in which we are not already professionals in. The growth of our existing diversified business and more importantly the expansion of our highly demanding retail operations will pave the way for considerable growth for the coming years. For example, we have two new openings this month: a Montblanc boutique in ABC Ashrafieh and a Meissen boutique in downtown Allenby Street, right adjacent to our Omega boutique. Guaranteeing service excellence and maintaining our own distinct standard in those boutiques is a task that I personally involved in, up to the micro-level.

We still seek new opportunities within our brands, we move quite quickly when we decide on capturing those. New product categories, launches, and boutique openings are ways to reach and serve our consumers more efficiently and pragmatically. At the end of the day I remember my earliest days as a saleswoman in the boutique: you have to act as quick as possible to the changing needs and trends of our clients.

“The brands that mostly catch my attention are those that create products which have inherent value in them, a story of elegance and a passion for perfection.”

Speaking of luxury, what type of brands catches your attention?

The synergy of the various brands in our portfolio is a key element in our success, any brand that gives an added dimension and opens the path towards greater satisfaction of the evolving client tastes is what we look for. In luxury, people engage their passion to take a decision to own something and hold it dear, it is not about consumption. It is an act of bringing value into the client’s life. You buy luxury because you want to keep it forever, not consume it and move on to the next thing.

The brands that mostly catch my attention are those that create products which have inherent value in them, a story of elegance and a passion for perfection. It is like building a long lasting relationship; one has to realize that it is not the surface of things that count but the depth of full structure from the end product to the structure of the company and the vision that drives it.

Once we choose a brand to join our product line, we are loyal to the brands we represent and we invest in our portfolio so that it reflects the best in each category. Last year, we added Meissen to our group. Meissen is one of the oldest high-end porcelain brands in Europe. With a company with such a strong portfolio—the heritage and the superior commitment to define luxurious living is already a valued addition to our portfolio.

Meissen, your new boutique in DT, what is its concept and what makes it unique?

Meissen is an ultimate in luxury brands it started in 1710 and was owned by the King of Saxony. The 300-year-old porcelain manufacturer is one of the fastest growing luxury companies in the world today, catering to the highest segment in the media market.

The concept of this shop in Downtown is something of a novelty in Lebanon. It will be the first to provide selected products in one retail store which is closer to a gallery than a shop. It will offer the finest porcelain, fine art, der de la table, jewelry, furniture, even exquisite leather accessories, textile, and fashion items. All of the products are displayed in a way to recreate the feeling of royalty. Meissen with its rich 300 year history of defining the style of royalty is an experience that is unmatched in the Middle East. We believe that this brand will be of great influence, a leader, in how people of wealth will design luxury living.

What is your average list -price- to sales- price ratio?

It all depends on the products, prices can range from 50USD to over a million USD.

Tamer Frères is known for their exceptional customer service. Is it part of what differentiates Tamer group from other competitors?

We pride ourselves on having one of the best after-sales department in the Middle East. Our equipment is constantly updated, our staff regularly trained, and the department is certified from all of our brands. After-sales service is one of the main concerns of our clients in this type of business.

Our sales are about building relationships, our items are not to be disposed or consumed they are about being kept and cherished. We understand that about our clients and seek to nurture that relationship with them through the years. The brands we carry are dear to us and the products we sell are dear to our clients, therefore we both are in this relationship for the long term.

From your experiences over the years, what are the qualities a luxury brand agent should have?

First, you need the ability to visualize and conceptualize things before they even happen. The strength of relationships with the customers is what determines our market insight and the levels of items we carry for a particular year. It is evolving needs, and life stories that determine the demand for our products and not the regular fluctuations of the business cycle.

We always aim for more value than for more products. Sometimes, the slogan “less is more” works in our world of luxury. Simultaneously, we never settle into static tastes but lead with new innovations, designs, tastes, and future trends.

In every industry, there are specific risks that most people are aware of. In this case what are the risks that lead to a failure in this business and how do you overcome the obstacles?

In Lebanon, the highest risks mainly concern the politico-economic situation. The status quo is not conducive to short and mid-term planning and investing. However, with the right strategies, we continue our investments whether in stock, marketing, human capital or in distribution regardless of what happens in our country since our focus is on the long term prospects of the market.

In luxury there is also the risk of missing out on the evolution of the market and the emerging trends. It is after all an experience that people seek and not a product. Thus understanding the lifestyle of our clients is as important as understanding their tastes and the unique attributes of each product we carry.

What’s your vision for Tamer Frères for the next ten years?

On a personal level first, my aim is to benefit from my father’s vast experience to evolve with my sisters and brother the vision that we will work to achieve for at least the coming 10 years. The company has at its core our family and we are all committed to building this business as much as we hold close our strong love to each other.

Our aim as a business is to maintain our longevity and continue building on our success. We are looking forward to expanding and growing the business by investing more in our brands while keeping in line with our group’s strategy and values. We will maintain the diversification of our business and invest in the expansion of our brands. We believe we are at the heart of a greatly expanding market in Africa and the Middle East and we want to gain greater depth in catering to the needs of potential clients in that area.

Speaking of working in the family business, do you see yourself working in other industry?

We are a very tight-knit family and each one of us understand our significant role in the company. We respect and help each other. We are a family of five and four of us followed the path of my father and decided to work in the company, my sisters Joan and Sharen and my brother John Jr. are already involved in the day to day with key responsibilities.

Our fields of study complement each other. I have a degree in business administration from AUB and an MBA from ESA, then followed executive courses at Harvard Business School in Boston. My sister Joan is a finance graduate from AUB with an MBA from ESA too. Sharen and John Jr. also attended AUB. While Sharen specialized in business and law, John Jr. in engineering.

We all work in the company except for Christelle, who is studying medicine. She chose the same path as my mom, a medical doctor. The family business is in our blood.

What did you learn from family business and do you have any regrets?

I started learning everything about the business from very early on! I traveled with my parents and attended business dinners since I was three. Learning never really stops. We communicate constantly to improve our understanding of the business.

I definitely have no regrets mainly due to my father’s presence and advice. His experience is an invaluable asset that added to my career. None of us will live without having a regret or lost opportunity. During my first 9 years I have learned a lot but nothing to regret yet.

My father always reminds us that, in order to succeed, we should love and be proud of the work we achieve that is what counts in judging ourselves we know we did the best we can.

End Year Season is the season of celebrating with family and having reunions with loved ones, what does End Year Season mean to you and how do you celebrate it?

Our business is very active during the holidays. We work hard and for long hours, but we also manage to spend time with the family. We are so used to the stress of the holiday seasons that we have learned to properly cope. We finish what we have to do then we celebrate. It also helps that our offices are minutes away from home so family is just a short walk away to join the celebrations!

If you had one luxury item to use during holiday season, what would it be?

I would actually use my new Montblanc fountain pen to write down the important moments of 2013. Even though we live in a digital world, I still love to use a fountain pen. It makes for beautiful penmanship.

Simone Tamer is known for her luxurious taste and sense of fashion, what do you stress on the most when you go shopping?

When I go shopping I stress most on what personally suits me and my style. I don’t necessarily go for what is trendy if it doesn’t look good on me. I like clothes that reflect who I am.

What is the best gift you have ever received?

The best gift is family. I thank God everyday for my parents and my siblings.

“The best gift is family. I thank God everyday for my parents and my siblings.”

As they say, it’s better to receive a gift than to buy one, how do you choose the best gifts to your loved ones?

I think the most valuable gift you can offer to someone is a watch. It’s a symbol of time and time is priceless. Your loved ones would truly appreciate you giving them a gift that lasts for decades and counts every second of that enjoyable life you have together.

If you had time to kill, how do you spend your leisure time?

I am quite active. I play tennis, I swim an hour everyday even in winter, I ski, I drive snowmobiles and I am a Cessna pilot. I have to admit my absolute favorite way to spend free time is to eat good food and great company!

Every person ends the year with a list of resolution for the next year, how would you end this year and what’s your upcoming projects for next year?

My resolutions for 2014 would be to build on the success I have achieved and continue to move forward. I wish for Lebanon to get through this rough situation and pave a new path. I would love nothing more than for Lebanon to forge ahead. As a large employer, we find talent very scarce and we need smart, motivated and ambitious people working outside Lebanon to return and help us develop a solid economy for Lebanon and its future. I’m confident Lebanon would be a better place for all.

As a woman, how do you balance your time between work and your personal life?

I don’t think you can ever feel fulfilled and happy if you don’t enjoy a personal life, no matter where you are in your career. Time management is key and it’s important to balance family and work. I wish I could manage a bit better but I do try to keep a healthy balance.

Being an executive in such a large business, do you face any challenges being a woman?

There are always challenges for women in the workplace. Society hasn’t fully accepted women in leadership positions. In Lebanon, there are stark gender differences when it comes to basic salaries and positions available. That is probably because people are not accustomed to career women who are determined and serious to succeed in business on their own merit.

In most companies, men are paid higher wages than women for the same position. Lebanese women deserve to have equal opportunities, equal pay, and mutual respect. Thankfully, we are seeing a change but women still have a long way to go. In our company that is a key thing we focus on after all we are four sisters and one brother so we know that discriminating against women doesn’t work but empowering them brings huge benefits.

In your opinion, how can a woman be both a successful entrepreneur and still look feminine at the same time?

My role model is my mom. She is a caring mother of five, a successful doctor, a housewife, and still manages to enjoy a social life. She is such a wonderful example to me as a woman who has defied all odds. Because we still live in a deeply patriarchal society, it’s important to stay true to oneself and break away from the norm.

I have learned there is a thin line between being successful in a male-dominant environment and retaining my femininity. Business attire can be fashionable and tasteful. The way you act and react is also important. I don’t try to imitate the men around me but try to be myself. Women tend to show more empathy as well, which is very important.

At the end of the day you are who you are, I am a woman with taste so acting feminine and elegant comes with the territory, even when I’m competing in business my true nature will always be at the heart of what I do.