Ulrik Garde Due, Fiskars - HomeWorld Business

The August 15 edition of HOMEWORLD BUSINESS® revealed the 11th Annual “Players,” people to watch in housewares during the next 12 months.

Selected by HomeWorld Business editors, the Players represent a cross section of a diverse housewares business— from established to newly installed company leaders; from large to small operations, from big-box to specialty retailers; from trade show managers to celebrity endorsers.

The HomeWorld Players are in the spotlight not only for how they might impact their respective organizations in the coming months, but also for how they might impact the overall housewares business.

Ulrik Garde Due, Fiskars, President, Fiskars Living

PLAYER’S CREDENTIALS: Ulrik Garde Due joined Fiskars in January of 2016, bringing with him more than 25 years of experience in luxury consumer goods. He is known for his track record of building and revitalizing consumer brands such as Georg Jensen, Burberry, and Celine. He was most recently CEO of Temperly London, a British luxury fashion brand.

WHAT TO WATCH: Garde Due is tasked with developing the Fiskars Living tabletop brand portfolio, strengthening their position in the market and further improving the business. The Fiskars Living business unit consists of the Scandinavian Living business, with the Iittala, Royal Copenhagen, Rorstrand and Arabia brands, as well as the company’s English and Crystal Living business, which consists of Waterford, Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Royal Albert, and Rogaska. The latter group was added to the Fiskars roster after its acquisition of WWRD in 2015.

Keeping with Garde Due’s expertise, these tabletop, giftware and interior décor brands are known for their elegant design as well as premium luxury. This luxury tabletop brand powerhouse, now all under one umbrella, is one to watch, particularly as many consumers are seeking a more casual luxury look for their home. What the Fiskars Living brands do next, under Garde Due’s watch, could change the tabletop retail landscape and the way consumers look at luxury tabletop. Garde Due said he aims to strengthen the consumer experience across the brands, and he and his team will work toward in-store excellence, as well as a strong omnichannel presence.

PERSPECTIVE: “Fiskars Living products are part of many consumers’ lives and stand for quality, craftsmanship and design. Today the Fiskars Living product categories are fragmented with many players. We have a great opportunity to build and leverage common success factors while respecting each of the brands and their unique characteristics,” said Garde Due.

2017 HomeWorld Business Players (click on name for profile):