PARTNERS
Founder's Profile
Mark A Olbrich - Company President

Personal Details

An Economics and Marketing graduate, Mark has a breadth of experience in operating on the UK, European and the US markets. He has been appointed to the Working Group on Enlargement by the European Commission, speaks at seminars on regional and Polish commerce, electronic commerce and is a regular contributor to professional journals.

Career Summary

Olbrich Retail Europe and Olbrich Resource Europe - 1993 to date
Founder and President.

The Leading Edge Retail
Innovative product and gift stores - 1990/93
Managing Director, building the company from a few local stores to an international operation comprising solus stores and concessions in the most prestigious locations of the UK and Europe. The company also developed a sophisticated and successful mail order operation. At the same time the Innovations retail format was designed and launched nationally. In the fashion/clothing sector the Hawkshead brand was acquired re-deisgned, re-formatted and launched in 1992.

Healthworks
First lifestyle, caterer and retailer in the UK - 1986/90.
Director, evolving the development of the brand and its trading format from test units in London, to an international operation spanning two continents. The company was sold to Grand Met Retail in 1988. Mark stayed on its board until 1990.

Languages

Quadrilingual, including Polish, Swedish and Russian. Working knowledge of several other languages including German and Norwegian.

Family Life

Mark is married with two teenage children.



Jørgen Skov
Personal Details
Three decades at the helm of various large retail and brand operations attest to Jørgen's knowledge and expertise proven both in his native Denmark and on numerous other European markets.

When not sharing his skills with the clients Jørgen is often called upon to give his views on the economy, new technologies and marketing issues with the quality national media and various institutions of higher education.

Career Summary

Recent/Current

• Management Consultant advising on major retail and Internet projects throughout Europe. Franchising Consultant to the British Embassy, Copenhagen.

Currently serving as non-executive director in the following companies:

BISON A/S, Denmark - upper mid-market apparel and fashions retailer.
FLEXA Møbler A/S, Denmark and Estonia - furniture makers and distributors.
DanMail ApS, Denmark - Direct Mail/CRM company.
Medical Information System ApS, Denmark (OdontoLogic).

Managing Director - O&S (Scandinavia) ApS.

Established various foreign brands on the Scandinavian markets, including gaining the markets of Denmark, Iceland Sweden and Norway for Knickerbox. Designed and launched franchise programme - 1994 1998.

Special projects director.

Working with major Danish building society - NYKREDIT. Re-launched retail properties (shopping centres) in multiple-fascia, contemporary formats, including Copenhagen's first outlet centre - 1992 - 1996.

Marketing and Concessions Director - ILLUM A/S.

Played a pivotal role in re-vitalising of the most important Danish department store. Established and launched concessions programme and oversaw the launch of 40 foreign retail brands within the store.

Provided guidance and advice to Sweden's premier department store - NK. 1989 - 1991.

Partner - Reinhardt's Advertising Agency.

Ran several blue chip accounts. Re-designed corporate strategy. 1986 - 1987.

Managing Director - Schiesser International A/S.

Developed Scandinavian markets and managed this leading European clothing and lingerie business. 1981 - 1986.

Pre 1980:

Managing Director for Scandinavia - Warnaco Inc - American apparel company.
Managing Director - Ramberg (Jockey) A/S.

Languages

A bilingual Danish and English speaker Jørgen is also fluent in Swedish and
Norwegian.

Family life

Jørgen is married with two grown-up children.