Born in the Purple: A Succession Story from Charriol
DO STORIES really end? We’d like to think that the end of one story just begins another, link upon link like the chains in a bracelet.
It hasn’t been a year since the death of Charriol founder, Philippe Charriol, in a car accident on Feb. 26 when BusinessWorld had the opportunity to meet the newly minted Chairwoman, Mr. Charriol’s daughter, Coralie. In an interview with BusinessWorld, she said that she was appointed to the position just three weeks after her father died.
Ms. Charriol Paul was in town on Oct. 10 at BGC’s Manila House for two things: first, to launch the brand’s new watch, made of bejewelled turtles, which seeks to bring awareness about ocean pollution, which brings us to her other purpose, she was here to show a preview of The Story of Plastic, a documentary about pollution for which she was Executive Producer.
While counting the family business as her passion, she counts film as another.
She and her husband, an investment banker, founded a nonprofit called React to Film which promotes issue-based documentaries. “We together have a passion for film, and the power of film and the power of image to tell a story,” she said.
“It’s only by association, but Charriol now is going to take a stand to also reduce their plastic use,” said Ms. Charriol Paul.
She says that in six months, the company plans to make its carrier bags 100% paper, eliminating the plastic film that protects it. “That is going to be our part in the first step to reducing single-use plastic,” she said.
However, “For me, it’s literally just the start. I’m at the beginning. I just became Chairwoman. My father, he was from another era. I am from this era. I’m doing my one step into becoming more sustainable, more aware and making a pledge that way.”
Ms. Charriol Paul doesn’t have to care — many rich people don’t. But she knows she is one of the lucky ones. She explains: “Why do I care? When I grew up, I moved every two years. My father took me to crazy places around the world. I remember, he took me to Morocco; he took me to very poor countries, and he always made me see kids, orphanages, kids’ hospitals. He’d always tell me, ‘See how lucky you are.’ I swear I grew up with that. This is not a story. This is true. “For me, I always knew that. I’m one of the lucky ones. I’m lucky, I need to help other people.
“I’m bubbly, I like to watch romantic comedies. But then, I’m a very serious person, and I care about those issues. You can be both.” There are many examples of brands going on even after the person who gave them their name are gone. Asking Ms. Charriol Paul how to go about that with their brand, she said, “I have no idea! You tell me. Give me the play by play, because I have no idea. I’ve been in it for 18 years, my brother has been in it for eight. We’re pretty much born into the company, that’s all we heard about our entire lives. We’re trying to figure it out, step by step.” Mr. Charriol left behind a legacy of a fine life lived, and the name helps other people live a life, or at least a fantasy, that is as well-crafted as Charriol pieces. When asked how she would like the brand in turn to be remembered, she said, “I can’t think that far, my friend. I can’t; it’s too much. Especially when Dad died overnight in a car accident, you never know what’s going to happen to you. All I can tell you is that I can plan one year ahead.”
“When I die, I have no idea what the planet is going to be like.”
There are changes to be expected in every succession from one leader to another, and as for the changes we can expect from Charriol, she said, “Hopefully, [we will be] a little bit more planet-conscious. Again, it’s just the start of it. We’re not claiming to be revolutionizing everything. We’re a family-run company, we have no huge investors. It’s different [from] a conglomerate. We’re going to take the DNA, which is the cable, and continue to innovate it over and over, and try to make it relevant.”
She acknowledges current consumer patterns, that is, not remaining loyal to brands, “people wanting different things,” and the search for experiences over products. “It’s an uphill battle.” —