The Dutch men’s fashion label A fish named Fred has appointed Boris Schalker as Chief Operating Officer (COO). The 22-year-old Schalker is the son of founder Rob Schalker. He has officially joined the operational management of the family business. The appointment marks the entry of the second generation into the management of the colorful fashion brand.
From the sales floor to operational management
Boris has been working for the Lijnden-based company for six years. His career began at the age of 16 on the sales floor in Amsterdam. He later took part in the opening of the brand store in the Mall of the Netherlands in 2021. For the last two years, he has focused on e-commerce and the brand’s online growth.
The promotion to COO is the result of his central role in the implementation of a new ERP system. According to Schalker, the structure and efficiency of this system form the basis for further global expansion.
Synergy between creativity and structure
Father and son explain their working relationship in a podcast on deondernemer.nl. While the founder concentrates on marketing and storytelling, the younger Schalke player devotes himself to the commercial and operational aspects. “Boris is more responsible for the structure, I am more responsible for unbridled creativity,” says the founder.
Despite the close cooperation in the family business, there is a clear distribution of tasks. The new operational managing director holds shares in the company and is considered an indispensable link for continuity. He explains that he gets the most fulfillment from data analysis. He is also motivated by the process by which the design team’s designs are successful on the market.
The management is aiming for further internationalization in the near future. The brand is currently active in 35 countries and aims to expand into South America, India and Asia in the next three to five years. The focus is on an omnichannel strategy. The focus is on the synergy between online sales and physical stores, which include both our own brand stores and franchise locations.
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