🌟 Crafting Success at the Intersection of Passion and Expertise 🌟

Bonjour! I'm AJ, a dynamic and driven professional with a passport full of experiences and a heart set on making waves in the world of business. Originally hailing from the picturesque landscapes of France, I've found my current home and hustle in the vibrant metropolis of Hong Kong.

My journey has been a tapestry woven with threads of innovation, quality, and technology, influenced profoundly by the titans of industry I've had the privilege to work alongside. With over a decade of diverse experiences under my belt, I've navigated the intricate landscapes of Consumer Electronics, Toys, Education, Design, and Fashion, leaving a trail of success in my wake.

What sets me apart? It's not just about the titles or accolades—it's about the relentless pursuit of excellence. Armed with a robust skill set encompassing sales, marketing, product lifecycle management, and supply chain expertise, I thrive on immersing myself in every facet of a business to drive unparalleled success.

But beyond the boardrooms and sales pitches, I'm a staunch believer in the power of storytelling—the heartbeat of brand building. I place great emphasis on cultivating genuine, sustainable relationships founded on trust and integrity, because I understand that true success is built on a foundation of authenticity.

When I'm not charting the course for business triumphs, you'll find me embracing the great outdoors, whether it's pounding the pavement on a morning run, conquering mountain trails, or pushing my limits in fitness training. And let's not forget my wanderlust—my passion for travel not only fuels my adventurous spirit but also enriches my global perspective, seamlessly aligning with my professional pursuits.

So, why wait? Let's connect and explore the boundless opportunities to collaborate and co-create success together in the Asia-Pacific region. Whether you're a fellow trailblazer or a kindred spirit, I'm here to turn visions into victories. To contact me, you can drop me a DM or email me on aurelien@unlock-apac.com.

Aurelien Joly

Six years ago, I picked the “perfect” time to relaunch a business… March 2020. 😅

Yesterday marked my 6th anniversary at the head of Unlock APAC — the sales agency I originally founded in 2014, and which I decided to restart and rebrand right before the world pressed pause due to the global pandemic.

Looking back, a lot has changed.
Markets shifted. Supply chains broke. Borders closed. Then reopened.
The company evolved. The structure matured. The ambitions grew.

But the drive? Still as strong as ever. Sky’s the limit.

If I reflect on these past six years, the biggest change in my life wasn’t business-related.

It was the birth of my daughter.

It may sound like a cliché, but she truly is my sunshine — and my daily engine to become a better person, a better father, and a better entrepreneur. Many parents will relate: your “why” suddenly becomes crystal clear. Every decision carries a little more meaning.

The second major milestone was building the right team.

No business grows alone — especially not across a region as diverse and complex as Asia Pacific. I’m incredibly grateful to be surrounded by passionate, driven people who believe in our mission: representing great brands across APAC and helping them grow as high as we can go, together.

Sam Chan, François Lui, Erzhan Zhanuzakov, you are the anchor of this business.
And on this anniversary, I want to say thank you.

We have big ambitions for the years ahead.
Many more milestones to hit.
Plenty of lessons still to learn (hopefully with slightly better timing than 2020).

Here’s to the next big chapters.

And thank you to everyone who has supported, trusted, challenged, or wished me a happy work anniversary along the way — it truly means a lot.

#WorkAnniversary #Entrepreneurship #APAC #Leadership #BusinessGrowth

Founder & Director | Entrepreneur I APAC Market Expansion Specialist | Expert in Consumer Electronics, Tech, Lifestyle & Design | Omni-Channel Growth Strategist

This Chinese New Year, my daughter taught me something I didn’t expect — and it stopped me in my tracks.

We were doing something simple, just spending time together during the holiday, when it suddenly hit me how fast everything is moving. One moment you’re celebrating their first milestones… the next you’re realizing how many have already passed.

Time doesn’t announce itself. It slips by quietly. And even when you know that, you rarely feel the full meaning of it until a random, ordinary moment makes it real.

I was reminded of a perspective I once heard: by the time children are very young, many of their core traits and ways of seeing the world are already forming. Before you know it, they’re halfway through the years they’ll live under your roof. A few birthdays later, most of your total time with them at home is already behind you. Blink again, and they’re nearly grown — thinking independently, building their own lives, needing you less.

It’s a confronting thought. Not because it’s sad — but because it’s true.

And strangely, that realization isn’t heavy… it’s clarifying.

It makes the small moments feel bigger.
It makes distractions feel less important.
It makes you choose presence over pressure.

This week reminded me that time with our kids isn’t something we “have.” It’s something we’re given — in limited supply.

So here’s to noticing it while it’s happening, not after it’s gone.

#Parenthood #Perspective #TimeFlies #ChineseNewYear #CNY2026

SharkNinja

National Account Manager

ASBIS

Led the market introduction of an award-winning range of smart home and SDA products across the UK and Nordic regions, achieving significant milestones in both territories.

UK Market Achievements:

Strategic Retail Partnerships: Secured a landmark 50-store placement with Curry's and facilitated key online and in-store launches with Costco UK and Selfridges for our seasonal heater product.
Account Management & Growth: Managed and nurtured existing SDA business relationships with prominent UK retailers, including Robert Dyas, B&Q, Appliance House, and Frasers Group. Successfully increased SKU count while implementing strategies to boost sell-through rates, such as rate card activations and close collaboration with PR and marketing teams.

Sales Analysis & Compliance: Regularly analysed weekly sales out reports to monitor performance and identify trends, ensuring data-driven decision-making. Conducted frequent reviews of web listings across retail partners to ensure compliance with brand guidelines and optimised product visibility.

Nordic Market Expansion:

Territorial Growth: Recently appointed to oversee the brand's distribution in the Nordics, successfully launching in four new territories: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Iceland.
Retail Success: Partnered with leading health and wellbeing retailer Matas for a highly successful retail launch, ensuring premium content creation with localised copy and tailored callouts across key product categories including floorcare, personal care, and kitchen appliances. Collaborated closely with our distribution partner and marketing team to maximise brand impact in these new markets.

Provided support at an international trade show for another of our brands, meeting with customers and showing them newness and innovative product offerings, gathering feedback, and strengthening relationships to drive future business opportunities.

Business Development Manager | AENO

Unlock EMEA

At Unlock EMEA, a leading sales agency for consumer electronics brands, I led the business development strategy and execution for over a dozen startup brands, many of which were new to the EMEA retail environment. My portfolio included PlayShifu and Kobotix in connected STEM toys, Ampere in wearables, Yellowpop in lighting, Wraps and Sonix in mobile accessories, as well as Gravastar and Meters in the audio sector.

Startups to Market: Successfully partnered with a robust network of value-added distributors to launch these emerging brands into their first major retail placements. 

I launched neon lighting brand Yellowpop into 100 Curry's stores, all GAME stores and orchestrated a standout 13-metre wall display at John Lewis Oxford Street. 

For STEM toy brand, PlayShifu I launched deals with Argos, Ideal World TV shopping (where I served as on-air host), 135 WHSmith stores, The Entertainer, Costco, Toys R Us, Virgin Megastore, Dubai Duty Free (UAE), BR (DK), Gravis (DE), Bol (NED) and more.

Account Management: After these successful launches, I took on an account management role, providing ongoing support and strategic advice. This included guiding brands on effective sell-through strategies, and making targeted recommendations for PR and marketing initiatives to maximise retail success.

Commercial Support: Played a key role in helping these startups establish strong Recommended Retail Prices (RRPs) with sufficient channel margin, ensuring they could execute effective distribution strategies while maintaining competitiveness and profitability.

Actively sought out new brands to join our portfolio by regularly attending key industry trade shows such as CES, IFA, Toy Fair, and The Spring Fair. This approach ensured a steady influx of fresh, innovative brands to the EMEA market.

Unlocking Retail Newsletter: Led marketing efforts by writing and curating the ‘Unlocking Retail’ newsletter, which provided valuable insights to brands who were aligned with our services.

Business Development Manager

New Channel Developments

I began my career at New Channel Developments, a pure UK sales agency as a sales administrator, quickly advancing to Business Development Manager due to my proven ability to drive results. Over 8 years, I successfully managed and expanded the market presence for more than 50 diverse brands across various retail and non-retail channels purely in the UK.

Key Achievements:

Retail Success: Spearheaded the placement of AnySharp knife sharpeners with QVC, significantly boosting brand visibility and sales. Played a pivotal role in making MyMask a leading product in the discount channel, with over 1 million units sold across major retailers such as B&M, Poundland, The Range, and WHSmith. Additionally, secured placements for Cobb barbecues in Lakeland, establishing a strong retail presence for the brand.

Non-Retail Projects: Diversified my portfolio by working on high-impact non-retail projects. This included lead generation for Visa Europe's card-linked offers, and enterprise sales for Sharebrella's umbrella sharing vending machines, where I led discussions with Network Rail and Transport for London regarding potential implementations. Other key non retail brands I worked with included the Oneforall gift card, Sodexo and Zeiss. 

Architectural Ironmongery Project: Played a key role in transforming a manufacturing business into a major architectural ironmongery brand. I conducted weekly visits to architects and interior designers across London, building relationships and securing business opportunities that significantly elevated the brand's market standing.
Throughout my tenure at New Channel Developments, I demonstrated a strong ability to identify and capitalise on opportunities across a wide range of sectors, contributing to the growth and success of both the agency and the brands we represented.

After a valuable jaunt into the corporate world with ASBIS and SharkNinja, I’m thrilled to be back at Unlock EMEA, doing what I love most: launching ambitious, Apple-adjacent consumer tech brands into omnichannel retail across EMEA.

With 14 years in business development and strategic partnerships, I’ve built a career around helping brands—from startups to multi-billion-dollar multinationals—establish a profitable presence on the shelves of Europe’s leading retailers.

What I Bring to the Table:

Market Entry Expertise: Proven track record of successfully launching brands across consumer electronics, SDA, smart home, audio, toys, and accessories.

Strategic Partnerships: Strong network with top-tier retailers and value-added distributors throughout EMEA.

Corporate Perspective: Valuable insights gained from my roles at:

ASBIS: Drove UK & Nordics market expansion for AENO’s SDA, personal care, and smart home products.

SharkNinja: Managed key UK retail accounts (Costco UK & AO.com), navigating billion-dollar brand dynamics, deepening my understanding of structured corporate operations and data-driven growth.

This corporate experience sharpened my strategic approach and reinforced my appreciation for the agility, creativity, and relationship-building that defines business development at Unlock EMEA.

I genuinely believe that “network is net worth,” and I'm proud that many of my industry partners have become close personal friends over the years.

Make 'em Laugh:
Currently pursuing an MA in Comedy Writing, enhancing my creativity and communication skills while secretly hoping that I can write a sitcom to escape from it all! 

If you're a consumer tech brand looking to enter or expand your presence in EMEA, let’s connect—I’m always keen to chat strategy (or share commercial war stories!).

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