Representatives of Central Group welcomed a group of graduate students, under the Marketing & Sales program, from the University of Paris-Saclay, which is ranked the 93rd best university in the world and the 3rd best university in France by Times Higher Education, during their visit to Central Group as one of the leading Thai companies in retailing and service industries. The purpose of the visit is to learn about management concepts and strategies, as well as best practices and experiences from the company leaders on various topics as the following:
- On the topic of multicultural management, Pascal Billaud, Chief People Officer, Central Group, provided his thought that “Multicultural or international management is a blend of technical and soft skills that can be approached as both an art and a science. To ensure sustainability of cultural management, it is crucial to prioritize key elements such as mutual respect, collaborative learning, teamwork, and enjoyable work experiences. These values facilitate a positive working environment, foster cross-cultural understanding, and contribute to the success of multicultural teams and organizations. Sensory Management is another method that can directly support leaders by leveraging the senses of individuals to improve their engagement and well-being in working together. By emphasizing these values and approaches, managers can establish a strong foundation for sustainable multicultural management practices.”
- On the topic of Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Chayanin Saransomrurtai, Head of CRM Strategy, The1, shared his experience at The1 that “The challenge companies currently face is no longer data insufficiency, but the fact that we have so much data to make sense and make use of. As a result, we strive to understand our customers better as individuals in order to provide them with the most relevant offerings. We not only rely on complex statistical modelling and AI, but also use human input from marketers to refine the model to make sense of data and create true understanding of our customers. It is crucial that all CRM activities should start with clear business objectives, defining ‘what’ changes we want to trigger and how they will prompt business growth. At The1, our goal is to empower business units to provide relevant offerings to the right customers through the right channel at the right time.”
- On sustainability activities to advance our society and communities, as well as to protect the environment, Anawin Tangpongpaiboon, Strategic Marketing Director, Sustainable Development Office & Corporate Marketing, Central Group, emphasized that “Sustainability of our society and the environment is the core of our business operations. To achieve sustainability goals through the concept of Creating Shared Value (CSV), we need to ensure that communication conveyed through all platforms create shared values and understanding with our stakeholders. The main pillars of our CSV projects are to provide jobs and income for local communities, develop community products and increase their values, offer marketing channels, as well as make sure that our business is operated in the most socially responsible and environmental friendly way.”
The team of Central Group management to meet and participate in the discussion with the students was led by Pascal Billaud, Chief People Officer, Central Group; Chayanin Saransomrurtai, Head of CRM Strategy, The1; Achara Wisuttiwongrat, Head of Corporate Marketing & Alliance, Anawin Tangpongpaiboon, Strategic Marketing Director, and Kudaboon Kirtiputra, Community Development Director, Sustainable Development Office & Corporate Marketing, Central Group; and Wassana Kham-anek, Customer Service Division Manager, Central Embassy.
The Paris-Saclay University was founded in 1150 and is ranked by Times Higher Education (THE), one of the most trusted university ranking websites, to be the 93rd best university in the world, and the 3rd best university in France.
Central Group is ready to be a leader in providing education and training by sharing our expertise and experience as a leading retailer in Thailand and on the global stage. We are committed to building capacity and creating inspiration to ensure growth and success of the new generation.
