How Regional Director Dimitri Broeren accelerates omnichannel strategy and talent development
Talent Development
The international bedding specialist Swiss Sense recently completed a growth financing round of €100 million. The capital injection is intended to accelerate expansion in Europe and strengthen the company’s digitalization agenda. In the midst of that momentum, Dimitri Broeren took up his position as Regional Director Benelux earlier this year. His first months show how entrepreneurship, culture, and a strong onboarding contribute to a flying start – while providing insight into how Swiss Sense is responding to a changing retail market.
Retail in transition: omnichannel as a growth accelerator
The bedding industry traditionally involves long purchase journeys, with consumers taking plenty of time to orient themselves. According to Broeren, that customer journey increasingly begins online. Swiss Sense is therefore heavily investing in an omnichannel experience: from inspiration to advice and purchase.
“The fundamentals are solid, but there is still a lot of potential. In both customer experience and commercial performance we can get even more out of omnichannel,” says Broeren.
With the new financing, there is room to further develop both digital channels and the physical retail footprint — a combination that is crucial in a sector where advice and experience play a major role.
An agile matrix organization
While matrix organizations elsewhere are sometimes perceived as slow or political, the structure at Swiss Sense appears to be a driver of speed and entrepreneurship.
“Where the central staff organization works on long-term strategy and innovation, we in the region can focus on optimization and regionalization. That gives us room to move — and to learn.”
For daily retail operations, this means that local markets can quickly respond to customer needs while central teams leverage scale advantages.
Culture as a success factor
Broeren emphasizes that the culture at Swiss Sense — a blend of ambition, professionalism, and Brabant-style friendliness — plays an important role in its success.
“In no time, I knew almost everyone. It’s just as easy to walk into the warehouse with a tray of sausage rolls as it is to have a strategy meeting in the boardroom.”
Looking ahead, he sees talent retention as a crucial challenge:
“Human capital is one of our biggest strengths. Succession planning and providing perspective are essential to keep talent on board.”
This is especially relevant in a sector where the competition for skilled retail managers and digital talent is intensifying.
Learning and accelerating through onboarding
Broeren credits his successful start in part to an external onboarding program via Sedna Executive Search. With a coach provided by Sedna, he gained structure during his first months. The onboarding program is based on The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins and helps new leaders settle in faster, define strategic priorities, and add value quickly.
“The sessions gave me space to reflect, to spar with an independent professional, and to take some distance from the daily rush. The insights were immediately applicable and truly contributed to a solid and confident start.”
According to Broeren, this guidance was a key success factor in transitioning into his new role.
Looking ahead: retail growth and digitalization hand in hand
With entrepreneurship, culture, and talent development as its foundation — and a substantial capital injection in hand — Swiss Sense is ready to further strengthen its position in Europe. For the retail sector, the company is an interesting example of how an established player can accelerate its growth ambitions through digitalization, omnichannel strategies, and culture.
About Sedna Executive Search
Sedna Executive Search specializes in finding and supporting leaders in the retail and consumer sector. With a proven selection process and a unique onboarding program, Sedna helps organizations not only attract top talent but also ensure that new leaders land sustainably in their roles.
Published on October 6 2025 in RetailTrends
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