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Andy van Smeerdijk talks trends with Loewe CEO, Juan Pedro Abeniacar Trolez.
Like many executives, Juan Pedro Abeniacar Trolez often sticks his nose into his employees' business. And he has good reason to. The chairman and chief executive officer of Loewe Perfumes has a hands-on approach to the development of the company's colognes. Or should that be nose-on?
"I'm 100 per cent involved in the design of the product," said Trolez 56. "I have an amateur nose – not a professional nose – and I work with highly qualified people in the design side of the business. So yes, I try all the colognes. While marketing occupies a lot of my time, I tend to be involved in the product a lot more than many CEOs." In Dubai for the launch of the aqua-blue men's cologne Loewe Solo Intense, Trolez cut a fine figure in his single-breasted navy suit. The Spanish-French national is also responsible for LVMH Perfumes and Cosmetics in Spain and Portugal.
A civil engineer turned sales and marketing manager, he's been involved in cosmetics for 11 years and CEO of Loewe since 2002. "Yes it is an interesting change isn't it? The civil engineer who now produces 'juice'," he said. "But I've always been captivated by smell."
Walking across the site of the launch, his eyes fall on a stray sprig of asparagus on the floor. He points this out to an assistant and does not budge until the offending vegetable has been removed. Clearly a perfectionist, he also demands this in Loewe's colognes.
"Our colognes aren't made in the traditional pyramidical manner; they're made using original methods ... they convey a strong character, a certain self-confidence. We hope they give the wearer the same confidence."
Life doesn't make sense just making scents, and Trolez likes to spend his spare time skiing and scuba-diving. "My favourite sport is skiing and my family and I often go to the Terra Nevola in Spain to ski. In summertime, we go scuba-diving in the south or Spain or to the Canary Islands." You'd suspect the aqua-blue waters of Spain are the inspiration behind his latest cologne.
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