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ITALY – Leroy Merlin chooses Sinergie for its retail sales convention
With the help of Freakout Production, Sinergie organized the Leroy Merlin
corporate convention for 700 guests that included service and product managers and
store-management committees for its 50 shops in Italy. The convention’s title ‘We’re
Proud of Our Future‘ pretty well describes the themes dealt with during the two-
day event that concentrated on leadership, employee involvement, enthusiasm and
teamwork.
Leroy Merlin is a member of Groupe Adeo, a French leader on the international
bricolage, hobby and DIY market. The convention, held on June 12-13 in Rimini,
was hosted at a just-inaugurated venue, the city’s new Palacongressi. This is an
innovative, flexible facility with spacious and well-equipped display areas, vanguard
technology and fine furnishings and fixtures.
For the convention, the 700 Leroy Merlin employees (divided into six geographical
areas) met in the congress centre’s assembly room where during the two-day event
they participated in training and future-goal sharing sessions interspersed with comic
interludes, videos created ad hoc for the occasion and entertainment by special
guests. The portion concerning the path the company has pursued from its birth to
the present, its future growth plans and the focus it puts on customers and products
was organized and managed by the 14 Leroy Merlin executives who together form
the executive committee for Leroy Merlin Italia (CDLMI). Their talks alternated with
entertainment by the Matadores, a theatrical troupe who presented skits based on the
retail store world.
On the first day there was a moving and most appreciated surprise. Racing driver
Alex Zanardi gave a talk on how important it is to never surrender, to be tenacious,
unpretentious and fully embrace life. He was speaking from first-hand experience: the
world-class champion who had the strength and determination to carry on competing
and even win further races despite the loss of both legs. On the second day the most
engrossing speech was by convention host Thomas Bouret, Leroy Merlin Italia CEO,
who talked about the group’s progress in recent years and prospects for future growth.
Another memorable moment was the surprise party held on the beach of the Rimini
Grand Hotel. To publicize the event, on arrival at the hotel guests were given sandals
with the Leroy Merlin logo and an adhesive inviting them to wear them at the party.
Everyone accepted the invitation, and in this fine new footwear rocked the night
away.
Finally, a word about the logistics the event entailed. The 700 guests were lodged
in ten different hotels and came to Rimini on charter flights and buses organized by
the Sinergie team. The Milan agency, with support from Freakout Production, was
involved not only in the creative concept for the event but also in its organisation and
logistics, both consolidated areas of strength for Sinergie.