Job Description
About Our Client
Our client is a well-established global fashion company with a strong heritage and an internationally recognised lifestyle brand. Operating across multiple international markets, the organisation has built a strong presence through distinctive products, compelling brand positioning and a distributor-led commercial model.
As part of its continued growth in Asia Pacific, the company is seeking an experienced Commercial Manager based in South Korea to strengthen distributor partnerships and unlock further commercial opportunities across key regional markets.
About the Role
The Commercial Manager will be a hands-on individual contributor, responsible for managing and developing distributor relationships across South Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Taiwan.
The company operates exclusively through distributors in these markets. Successful candidate will act as the primary commercial partner to local distributors, working closely with them to understand their businesses, strengthen their capabilities and identify new opportunities for sustainable growth.
Key Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary commercial contact for distributors across South Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Taiwan, building trusted, long-term partnerships.
- Develop a strong understanding of each distributor’s business, capabilities and local market dynamics to identify sustainable growth opportunities.
- Support distributors in strengthening their commercial capabilities, market coverage, organisational structure and investment plans.
- Drive B2B expansion by helping distributors identify, acquire and develop new wholesale, corporate and key-account opportunities.
- Own the go-to-market and sales development plan for each market, including channel segmentation, pricing and product positioning.
- Guide distributors on OTB planning, sales forecasting, merchandising and retail execution.
- Deliver annual sales targets while maintaining sustainable pricing and profitable margins.
- Monitor distributor performance, commercial KPIs and market developments, translating insights into clear action plans.
- Partner with regional brand and marketing teams to deliver locally relevant activation plans and consistent brand execution.
- Contribute to budgets, forecasts and business reviews while identifying commercial, financial and operational risks.
Requirements
- At least five years of experience in regional sales, distributor management, franchise management or wholesale within APAC.
- Proven success in building long-term distributor relationships and developing partners’ commercial capabilities.
- Experience driving B2B growth through wholesale, corporate, key-account or other partner-led channels.
- Strong commercial judgement and an entrepreneurial approach to identifying and developing new business opportunities.
- Good knowledge of APAC retail and wholesale markets, including channel segmentation, trade models and consumer behaviour.
- Experience in OTB planning, merchandising, pricing, sales forecasting and margin management.
- Excellent relationship-building, negotiation and influencing skills, with the ability to work effectively across markets and cultures.
- Comfortable operating independently in a Manager-level individual contributor role and travelling regularly across the assigned markets.
Preferred: Experience in footwear, apparel, fashion, lifestyle products or consumer goods.