A coffee with… Patrícia Hora, Supply Chain partner at Luxclusif (Farfetch group)

Patricia Hora, a graduate in Psychology and Marketing (yes, I did two degrees).

I am the mother of a 6 year old boy, who is the light of my eyes and also part of my headaches. I am curious about World War II issues and I would almost bet that I have seen all the documentaries, films and series on the subject.

My entry into the job market did not necessarily start in logistics. I started working in a school where I did career counselling, then the opportunity arose to join Sonae, and that’s when I started my contact with suppliers, customers, warehouses and carriers. Later, I ventured into customer management, which allowed me to broaden my horizons, but finally I was offered a position at Parfois, where I stayed and grew for 10 years. In 2021, it was time to take another step in my career and that’s when Luxclusif (Farfetch group) came along, and it is here that I am growing as a manager, managing a large team with a focus on the supply chain.

It is important to note that none of this would have been possible if there had not been passion for what I do and for having been lucky enough to meet other professionals who not only supported me in the past, but continue to contribute to my growth to this day.

L&A: What does it mean to be a Supply Chain Partner and what is your working day like?

Patricia: At Luxclusif, the role of Supply Chain Partner involves managing and guiding two distinct teams responsible for the complete management of the product at all stages, both inbound and outbound. These teams are: Production (inbound) and Logistics (outbound).

My working day starts very early as 98% of the team I supervise are based in the Philippines, which is a significant time difference.

Working mainly with pre-owned luxury handbags, every day we focus all our efforts on ensuring that the products reach our end customers in impeccable condition. To achieve this, we apply a series of exhaustive operational processes, such as quality control, authentication, photography and others, all of which require effective supervision.

Given the totally remote nature of management, it is crucial to establish and maintain a close relationship and partnership with our logistics partners. This involves constant and effective communication to ensure that all phases of the process are coordinated harmoniously, contributing to the successful delivery of our products to end customers.

L&A: What do you think were the biggest challenges you faced and what projects do you remember or would you highlight from your career?

Patricia:

In today’s context, the real challenge is to manage such a large and diverse team. With employees who have different professional expectations, enthusiasms and energy levels, it is my duty to mentor, guide and help them achieve superior performance and development.

However, this challenge is also a source of satisfaction for me, because I have the privilege of witnessing every achievement of the team, every obstacle overcome, every small step that leads them towards the big goal, which is to be the best at what they do. And yes, that gives me enormous pleasure and a sense of “duty done”.

L&A: If you had to make immediate improvements in a company’s supply chain management, what would they be?

Patricia: Depending on the industry, the improvements can be many, but I would highlight two in particular: (1) Systems integration: i.e. ensuring that there is effective end-to-end systems integration; this will reduce redundancy, minimise errors and improve visibility.

(2) Process automation: identify areas where manual processes can be replaced by some form of automation. This will reduce cycle times, improve accuracy and free up resources for more strategic tasks.

L&A: Is there anything we haven’t mentioned that you find interesting in the professional field of logistics? For example, what trends do you see in the sector, what is your opinion on a hot topic, a project you are working on or an issue you would like to contribute to?

Patricia: With online commerce gaining more and more ground, in my opinion, we have to keep working on improving Reverse Logistics strategies, focusing more on recycling, reuse of packaging and efficient management of product returns.

On the other hand, we cannot overlook all sustainable practices, including reducing carbon footprint, optimising routes to save fuel and using more environmentally friendly vehicles.