Building High Performance Teams at LVMH: CHRO Gena Smith LIVE from UNLEASH 2025
We proudly share #thePOZcast interviews from Unleash 2025 in Las Vegas with guest host Rhona Pierce! Gena Smith is the Chief Human Resource Officer for LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton in North America. A highly experienced human resources executive, Gena ensures that LVMH is best in class at selecting, developing, and retaining senior executive and creative talent. During her tenure with LVMH she has helped to further develop talent at all levels of the organization, including through attracting accomplished senior-level executives, instituting learning and development programs to prepare executives to meet business needs, and promoting mobility for high performing executives across the LVMH brands. She led the first ever Diversity & Inclusion initiative for LVMH launching it across North America in 2012. Prior to joining LVMH in September 2011, Gena was Global Managing Director at Karen Harvey Consulting, where she led the luxury & retail executive recruitment practice worldwide. She previously spent 10 years as an executive search consultant at Russell Reynolds Associates and Ray & Berndtson, working with many leading retail, luxury and consumer brands. Her earlier experience included several years in International Education. Gena is a member of the Advisory Board for Tiffany & Co., and a member of the Board of Directors for Gabriela Hearst. She is also on the Board of Governors for Parsons School of Design and on the Board of Governors of the Fashion Scholarship Fund. Gena holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business. She also studied French, Greek and Mandarin. She currently resides in New York City with her husband Carlton Smith and two children, Madeline and Gage. LVMH, world leader in high-quality products: https://www.lvmh.com/en/news-lvmh/lvmh-unveils-new-employer-brand-campaign-where-dreams-become-careers Connect with Gena: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gena-smith/ #thePOZcast is proudly brought to you by Fountain - the leading enterprise platform for workforce management. Our platform enables companies to support their frontline workers from job application to departure. Fountain elevates the hiring, management, and retention of frontline workers at scale. To learn more, please visit: https://www.fountain.com/?utm_source=shrm-2024&utm_medium=event&utm_campaign=shrm-2024-podcast-adam-posner. Thanks for listening, and please follow us on Insta @NHPTalent and www.youtube.com/thePOZcast For all episodes, please check out www.thePOZcast.com
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Show Notes
Summary
In this episode, Gina Smith, CHRO of LVMH, discusses the importance of high-performance teams and creative environments. She emphasizes the role of coaching and development initiatives in fostering talent, the significance of creativity in the luxury sector, and the need for effective leadership in a complex business landscape. Additionally, she highlights the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion as a core business strategy.
Takeaways
- Coaching and development are fundamental to employee growth.
- Internal mobility is crucial for retaining talent.
- Creativity is embedded in the DNA of LVMH.
- Leaders must adapt to the changing expectations of employees.
- Rest and recovery are essential for high performance.
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion are key business strategies.
- A decentralized structure fosters creativity and autonomy.
- Talent marketplaces enhance visibility of career opportunities.
- Leadership programs must address the pressures leaders face.
- Mental health and well-being are vital for a thriving workplace.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to High-Performance Teams
05:04 Coaching and Development Initiatives
10:05 Fostering Creativity in Business
14:57 Leadership in a Complex Environment
20:11 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as a Business Strategy