Kaja Kąkol

• Lead, develop, and inspire a cross-functional product management team • Define and lead the overall product strategy aligned with business goals • Manage product assortment, pricing strategy, and portfolio performance across categories • Align product roadmaps with seasonal trends, sustainability goals, and design direction • Identify market trends, consumer insights, and competitor activity to drive innovation and differentiation of product portfolio • Define clear goals and responsibilities within the team • Set team priorities and ensure structured workflows that balance creativity with execution • Establish and monitor KPIs to measure product success and guide continuous improvement • Drive private label and brand partnerships, ensuring relevance, quality, and profitability • Drive alignment across different departments through effective communication • Encourage a culture of ownership, innovation, and continuous learning within the product team

• Category management: kitchen sinks, kitchen faucets, kitchenware, bins, stools & trolleys • Formulating 4P strategy in relation to the market and trends • Monitoring KPIs, develop, and recommend initiatives to drive sales growth • Coordinating the promotional campaigns according to the marketing schedule (product selection, price negotiation, forecast realisation, product availability) • Negotiating trade conditions with local suppliers • Developing and implementing own brand in cooperation with global category leaders • Close collaboration with Merchandising, Web Merch and Planning in offline/online implementation of new products • Coordinate new product launch and sale campaigns in shops

• Category management and NPD in Kitchenware and SDA, both regular and seasonal assortment • Formulating 4P strategy for own brand in relation to the market and trends • Monitoring performance of the categories vs budget and proposing solutions to achieve KPIs • Direct cooperation with Import suppliers on daily base, including offer selection, trade negotiations and order management (from order placement to the warehouse delivery) • Visiting international and local trade fairs (Europe, Asia) • Close collaboration with Import, Quality, Marketing, Merchandising and Allocation teams in terms of new product launches and seasonal campaigns • Preparing content and brief for graphic designers on packaging and user manuals of new products.

• Indoor Cleaning category management, brands: Bosch, Siemens, Zelmer, Constructa, markets: CEE, Israel, Latin America (as Category Manager) • Formulating category strategy (incl. portfolio definition and price positioning) in alignment with local management of respective market (as CM) • Monitoring performance of the category across all brands and respective countries (as CM) • Preparing and conducting 4P strategy (as CM) • Launch management – coordinating and supporting the implementation process of products (as CM) • New launch project leader – responsible for leading the product implementation process, from concept phase to first delivery to the market (as Product Manager) • Variant management – active process driving and coordinating country-specific product topics, including data maintenance in SAP system (as PM) • Development of Indoor Cleaning portfolio (both roles) • Identifying opportunities and market potential based on comprehensive understanding of local consumer’s behavior (both roles)

• Management of non-editorial lifestyle categories • Implementing and developing special design collections (gadgets, stationery, decoration, kitchenware) in close collaboration with artists • Developing own brands including 'house of empik', 'empik basic' •Direct cooperation with Import suppliers including selection and trade negotiations • Visiting international and local trade fairs (EU, Asia) • Close collaboration with Import, Demand Planning and Merchandising teams in store implementation of new products and collections

• Organizing design exhibitions in Poland and abroad • Organizing Good Design, competition for the best products available on Polish market in categories Home, Working Environment, Public Space and Services • Writing articles and reviews for magazines collaborating with the Institute • Research and co-creation of trend portal – www.trendwizor.pl • Co-creation of the first Dictionary of Polish Designers available online (www.slownikprojektantow.pl) including research, writing biographical notes, completing database.