ANDI Owen is known for her expertise in brand strategy.
However, some spectators are questioning her leadership methods after a video of her addressing company bonuses via Zoom went viral.
Who is MillerKnoll CEO Andi Owen?
Andi Owen is a businesswoman from Michigan, "with a passion for identifying and solving problems for customers, strategic and digital transformation, innovation, trend analysis, talent, team, and business development," as per her LinkedIn.
According to The New York Times, Owen attended Interlochen Arts Academy, a Michigan boarding school focused on the arts, and studied art history at the College of William and Mary.
"I had a mom who was an educator and a dad who is this free spirit musician," Owen told the publication in a 2021 interview.
"And all my mom ever said to me was, 'When you go to school, learn what you love. You’ll have plenty of time for a career and it won’t matter anyway.' So I really did spend time doing what I loved, and I think it’s been an advantage."
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Before her MillerKnoll journey, she worked her way up retail - working for stores like Bloomingdales and The Gap.
Owen's work landed her a series of senior roles at various retailers, which lead to her eventual leadership of the Banana Republic brand, where she was the Global President from December 2014 to March 2017.
What is Andi Owen's role at MillerKnoll?
Owen is currently the CEO and member of the Board of Directors for MillerKnoll - an office furniture company known for its well-regarded chairs like the Aeron.
According to her company bio: "Andi was instrumental in architecting the deal that brought Herman Miller and Knoll together to create MillerKnoll.
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"She has a demonstrated history of leading complex customer-focused businesses. She is passionate about using design thinking to solve complex problems, leveraging innovation to improve people’s lives, and using business as a force for good."
Owen has been responsible for leading the company’s worldwide operations since she was appointed to her position in August 2018.
What did Andi Owen tell her employees?
In April 2023, a Zoom video of Owen addressing employees during a March town hall meeting went viral after she addressed the topic of bonuses.
“Don't ask about: What are we going to do if we don’t get a bonus?” she is heard saying. “Get the damn $26 million. Spend your time and your effort thinking about the $26 million we need and not thinking about what you’re going to do if you don’t get a bonus."
According to Vice, the company was unwilling to publicly discuss the $26million internal metric that Owens references in the video, however, the publication mentions that the CEO reportedly received bonuses of $1.29million in 2022 and $1.12million in 2021.
Before ending the chat she added: “I had an old boss who said to me one time, ‘You can visit pity city, but you can’t live there.’ So people, leave pity city. Let’s get it done."
In response to the criticism and backlash pouring after the video made its rounds on the internet, Kris Marubio, a MillerKnoll spokesperson, told Motherboard: “Andi fiercely believes in this team and all we can accomplish together, and will not be dissuaded by a 90-second clip taken out of context and posted on social media."
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