Kay Berndt

Owned the full buying cycle for a curated K beauty portfolio across skincare, fragrance, and accessories, managing brands such as Skin1004, Anua, Celimax, Beauty of Joseon, and Medicube for the European market. Led strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations, exclusivity agreements, pricing, and contracts. Managed OTB, forecasting, and category performance to optimize inventory, while coordinating international supply chains from Korea to Europe and identifying emerging trends to drive assortment decisions.

Sourced and secured overstock and surplus merchandise across international markets, focusing on strategic sourcing, supplier development, and cost-efficient procurement. Built and maintained a strong network of brand partners and suppliers across online and retail channels. Negotiated pricing, payment terms, and commercial agreements, managed inventory through data-driven forecasting and KPI analysis, and monitored market trends, pricing, and demand dynamics to support profitable purchasing decisions.

Led strategic procurement across two departments for premium clients including PVH, Montblanc, Tiffany, and Porsche. Managed end-to-end sourcing for retail environments, brand experiences, and live events, covering supplier selection, negotiations, and performance management. Delivered cost savings through tendering and supplier partnerships, supported new business pitches with procurement and cost planning, and collaborated closely with designers, project managers, and client teams on complex projects.

Drove buying and merchandising for the Urban Sports category at one of Europe’s leading department stores, managing a global supplier network and trend-driven assortment. Led sourcing, supplier negotiations, demand forecasting, inventory planning, budgeting, and OTB management to optimize sales and stock performance. Built strategic vendor partnerships, secured favorable commercial terms, and used sales and inventory analytics to continuously refine assortment strategy and drive category growth.

Merchandising for the Tommy Kids category across the European market, managing the full product lifecycle from trend analysis and line planning to execution and performance reporting. Developed assortments using sales data, consumer insights, and market trends, while coordinating with suppliers, manufacturers, and store teams. Managed inventory and store layouts to support sell through, and delivered performance analysis and recommendations to identify growth opportunities and respond to market changes.

Managed buying and merchandising for NikeSB, Nike By You, and Hurley across app, ftw, and equipment throughout EMEA. Assortment planning, purchase orders, inventory management, replenishment, and allocation across digital and retail channels. Analyzed sales and size curves to optimize stock levels, tracked product launch performance on nike.com, partnered with Digital Merchandising to enhance the online experience, and developed seasonal trading and allocation strategies to maximize commercial results.

Managed social media engagement and brand communication for Nike Germany across Facebook and Twitter, covering Nike Women, Sportswear, Running, and Football. Supported audience engagement across European markets through Nike Store Europe, conducted UX reviews of nike.com, analyzed consumer behavior and launch performance, and contributed to product release planning. Executed community initiatives and brand campaigns to strengthen engagement, loyalty, and customer experience.

Freelance Art Director and Designer specializing in editorial design, visual storytelling, and brand communication. Developed creative concepts and visual identities across print and digital media, managing projects from initial idea through final production. Combined strong typography, photography, and retouching expertise with a sharp eye for layout, composition, and art direction to create cohesive and engaging visual experiences for clients and publications.