Mark Saunders, CEO of furniture retailer OKA, talks about the expansion of its physical presence, combatting challenges and a look ahead to what’s next for the brand.
Meet Mark
As CEO of OKA, I’m responsible for the overall direction and performance of the business. I set our strategic vision, manage day-to-day operations, and work closely with our executive team to ensure we’re delivering against our goals. A key part of my role is building and leading a strong leadership team and keeping open, effective communication with our stakeholders. I stay focused on driving growth, supporting our people, and making sure the business runs smoothly at every level.
Recent investments?
Our showrooms are an essential part of our brand footprint as they give our customers the opportunity to touch and feel the quality and craftsmanship of our range. So, we’ve been investing to expand our physical presence through new openings in a number of strategic locations across the UK where we see real opportunities. Earlier this year, we opened in Redbrick Mill in West Yorkshire, which is already trading ahead of expectations.
Alongside our physical presence, we’re also expanding and enhancing the digital experience for customers through several significant IT projects, re-platforming our e-commerce business to streamline the journey and improving our CRM. We’ve also continued to invest in our people, bringing new talent into the business.
Earlier this year, we appointed Aalish-Yorke-Long as Chief Customer Officer responsible for our product design, marketing and brand and ecommerce teams. Aalish has a fantastic track record of scaling premium lifestyle brands like Soho Home that are built around the customer, so we’re excited about the impact she’ll have on the brand, product and channels as we build our presence in the UK home interiors market.
Future plans?
We’re continuing to scale our presence in the UK home interiors market through more showroom openings later this year and further improvements to the digital brand. We’ve also been doing a lot of work behind the scenes to lower costs, working with key suppliers to secure more favourable pricing, streamlining our logistics and reducing freight and shipping costs.
We’ve been able to pass these cost savings on to our customers, lowering our prices by an average of 15% on average across a wide range of furniture and homewares. This makes the brand even more accessible for even more customers, while guaranteeing the same commitment to quality and craftsmanship across the range and supporting our community of suppliers.
What is your mission?
Our mission is simple – to become the most loved interiors brand, creating beautiful, comfortable, and stylish homes to be enjoyed, not just admired. Whether for long-standing fans of the brand or those discovering us for the first time, we’re committed to delivering exceptional products and a seamless experience.
On sustainability, what is your business doing on this topic?
OKA was founded on the principle of sustainability – creating pieces that are made to last and be loved for years, using ethically sourced materials and recyclable packaging, made by independent artisans who preserve traditional craftsmanship. So, it’s in our DNA.
Now, as a Certified B Corp business, we’re constantly challenging ourselves to go further and design sustainability deeper into the business at every step – including our own carbon reduction measures and supporting our people and communities.
How has recent business been?
Most consumer industries are facing into a number of challenges, driven by a range of economic and political factors which have dampened consumer confidence. Despite that, we’re seeing growth in sales thanks to the strength of the brand, the quality of our products and where we sit in the market.
What trends are you noticing?
We’re seeing customers make more carefully-considered purchases when it comes to home interiors – products that are timeless and are built to last – which plays well to our business given our focus on quality and craftsmanship. It’s also why our showrooms are such an essential part of our brand, as most customers investing in a larger piece from OKA want to see and touch it in real life.
We’re also seeing more customers accessing our range thanks to the work we’ve been doing on lowering prices, which is being accelerated by the investments we’re making to scale our digital and physical presence.
What would you change in the industry?
Businesses always need stability in order to plan ahead with confidence and recent events have been challenging for the sector. Beyond that, we need to see more measures to stimulate growth and investment in the UK, which will ultimately drive jobs and wage growth and support consumer confidence.
What challenges do you currently face and how are you overcoming these?
After a challenging few years for OKA mainly in our overseas operation, we’ve spent the last 18 months putting the building blocks in place for growth as a simpler, UK-focused business, from product and brand to retail operations, IT and logistics. We’re already seeing the benefits through cost savings and improved sales.
Do you have any staff you would like to pay special thanks or recognition to and why?
Our entire team – from our showrooms to our support functions – they go the extra mile every day. Our success will always be down to them.
Why do you think customers choose your business?
OKA has a unique position in the market as a premium, ethical brand offering customers timeless, long-lasting pieces made with real craftsmanship. Plus, our approach to customer experience – from our showrooms featuring our curated room-sets to our interior design and bespoke manufacturing services – means we engage our customers in a more personal way.
