Interview: Denise Bernachez Takes the Helm at Nikon Optical Canada - Opti-Guide

Interview: Denise Bernachez Takes the Helm at Nikon Optical Canada

On September 1, 2024, Denise Bernachez was appointed President of Nikon Optical Canada. In this exclusive interview with Opti-Guide.com, we outline her career path, her 360° vision of the Canadian optical market and her aspirations for continuing to serve the community.

Interview by Sarah Ousaid

First of all, congratulations on your nomination! Your career trajectory is as diverse and interesting, as you’ve been involved in a variety of sectors, from energy to services to consumer goods, before joining Nikon Optical Canada in 2018. What inspired your choice to join the optical industry?

Denise Bernachez

Good question. It’s true that it’s not visible on my resume, but my in-laws are opticians based in France, so I’ve been married to optics for 25 years! It’s a product manufactured in an industry that touches on health and retail, and we work with passionate entrepreneurs. Our product makes a difference for the consumer, we have an impact on many levels, it’s very stimulating!

What do you draw from your previous roles, whether as Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Nikon Optical Canada or more generally as a seasoned marketer, to approach your new responsibilities?

Denise Bernachez

This goes beyond my role at Nikon, since I spent half my career in marketing, and the other half in sales. Sales enabled me to develop a receptiveness to the field, to understand market dynamics and customer issues. Marketing gave me the understanding and creativity to develop a personalized value proposition that meets the needs of the customer and, by extension, those of his patients. Add to that brand management, a Japanese premium brand, and I’ve got everything I love, all rolled into one!

In my current role, it’s important to realize that we operate in a turbulent market in which we have to work with our customers to understand their needs. In Canada, we have three distinct optical markets: French-speaking Quebec, Ontario and the Maritimes, and Western Canada. So it’s important to be agile and understand the dynamics of each market to offer a solution that continues to differentiate clinics from the big low-cost companies.

Today, as the new President of Nikon Optical Canada, what is your vision for the company? What are the drivers you intend to leverage to make this vision a reality?

Denise Bernachez

We are witnessing a polarization of consumption, which means that the mid-range is disappearing from the industry. Clinics that start competing in the entry-level segment will find themselves up against the big players, and that’s not in their interest. Instead, we recommend that they differentiate themselves by offering outstanding service, being close to the community and offering products that differentiate them, notably through branding. Obviously, Nikon is THE solution, as our brand has a 97 percent awareness rate among wearers in Canada! (1) I believe that the independence of eyecare professionals is essential, and I want to continue to support the independents, creating value for these clinics and pushing their differentiation in the market, but also for their profitability.

One of the drivers we rely on is, of course, the Nikon brand, a guarantee of quality, and the figures bear witness to this: 80 percent of patients who wear Nikon lenses know it’s Nikon – which is unique in the market – and they continue to wear Nikon for that much more precise and detailed vision experience, worthy of Japanese quality. In the optical sector, we’re the only ones to have a “real” consumer brand, and this remarkable reputation stems from our 100-year Japanese heritage in optics and 35 years of presence in Canada.

What is your analysis of the Canadian optical market? What are your forecasts for the coming years?

Denise Bernachez

It should be noted that since 2020, the Canadian population has grown by 5 percent, with 1 percent of the population aged 65 and over. In other words, in 2024, those aged 65 and over will represent 18.9 percent. (2) The population is therefore growing and aging. This growth is mainly due to immigration, particularly in British Columbia, where the majority of immigrants are from Asia, whose populations have a high prevalence of eye diseases. Given these factors, the optical market is growing. On the other hand, we are beginning to find products on the market that are sold at very low prices. So, even though volume is increasing, the value of a pair of glasses is declining, and I think it will continue to do so, in line with the market polarization I mentioned earlier.

What can Nikon Optical Canada offer independents in terms of products, services and programs?

Denise Bernachez

As a business partner for independent clinics, our value proposition is based on four pillars. The first is our brand: 55 percent of patients will pay more for a Nikon (3) brand lens because it’s a quality brand. Next comes innovation, which is both an element of differentiation and value creation. The third pillar is the ambassador patient: we develop sales support tools to create and enhance the customer experience at clinic level. I’m thinking particularly of the sales simulator on an iPad tablet, very concrete demonstration tools to popularize Japanese technology, not forgetting our marketing campaigns offering our clinics solutions to stand out from the crowd. The fourth and final pillar is partnership. We are currently reshaping our “Nikon Optical Partner” VIP partnership program for 2025. On the menu: conferences on market trends, privileged meetings with senior management, marketing kits to increase in-store visibility, exclusive access to product launches…

What do you estimate your market share to be, and what does Nikon Optical Canada offer today to retain customers and remain or become their main laboratory?

Denise Bernachez

Today, I’d say we’re at 10 percent market share. We’re certainly the most premium player in Canada, and we’re experts at what we do. Of the 5,000 doors in Canada, 2,500 would be independent eyecare professionals. It’s with them that we aim to create a lasting relationship, and that’s the course we’ve set. Beyond the business relationship, it’s a partnership relationship that we maintain with our customers. We support clinics with training and close-at-hand service.

Nikon, a brand well known by the general population, has always been synonymous with technology and innovation. What sets Nikon apart in today’s market?

Denise Bernachez

Firstly, to be constantly innovating. You should also know that all Nikon products are developed along three axes: precision, management of light and contrast, and aesthetics, and when I say that, rest assured that it’s applied 110 percent, Japanese-style! Over and above our premium positioning, Nikon’s laboratory service is recognized in the market for its excellence, as are our teams – we’re talking about the Nikon family. It’s a real pleasure to work together, and our teams are highly committed. They are undeniably a differentiating factor. What’s more, our customers are 87 percent satisfied with our services – we surely have the right recipe! (Editor’s note: According to a satisfaction survey conducted in 2023)

Can we expect any new launches in the near future?

Denise Bernachez

After the SeeCoat™ Next Reveal, which we launched in September 2023, on September 30 we unveiled the Z-SERIES progressives, which are an improved version of our top-of-the-range SeeMax™ Ultimate and Presio Power progressives, with a nod from the camera world to the ophthalmic lens, which is historic at Nikon because we’d never done it before! (Editor’s note: Nikon also offers a range of mirrorless cameras called the Z Series). It’s a very interesting technology that brings greater comfort to the wearer, who will make fewer head movements because we’re working on the proximal zone, and will also benefit from a better perception of contrast and therefore greater visual clarity. I have to tell you, too, that we’ve got one hell of an innovation coming up for the market in 2025. We’ll be talking to you in the meantime to give you more details, because it’s sure to make some noise in the optics market!

How does Nikon Optical Canada get involved in the community?

Denise Bernachez

Our customers, who are very involved in their communities, are very inspiring. For my mandate, I’d like to continue energizing the company to be more involved in the community, it feels good to do good! We embarked on the Défi Sportif FMO in September 2024, the first corporate event with more of a community focus, and the teams are on board. We have our national sales meeting in December, and the teams don’t know it yet, but we’re planning to make soup for a community association to benefit Montreal’s homeless. I also know that our VP of Human Resources wants to develop a volunteer program for our employees, so I’d say it’s in line with our objectives and with Nikon’s ongoing commitment to the communities in which we operate.

Nikon Optical Canada celebrated its 35th anniversary a few months ago. What do you wish for Nikon Optical Canada and its teams for the next 35 years?

Denise Bernachez

I want us to continue to shine in premium service in the Canadian market, to have as much fun working with our teams and our customers, and to support the market in differentiation. That’s what we’re already doing; we’re building on continuity. At our 35th anniversary, we organized an event where we invited some former members of Nikon Optical Canada who have left their mark on the organization, including Mr. Dimitri Adamopoulos, a former engineer who helped build the Montreal laboratory before becoming President. I remember Dimitri’s speech, when he spoke of the values he had instilled in the organization back then to make it a passionate, detail-oriented business. Listening to him, I realized that these were still the same values we had 35 years later, with new people at the table and a completely different market. It’s amazing how deeply rooted our values are in the culture, and that we’re still aligned with our predecessors to this day.

On a more personal note, what motivates you on a daily basis at work, beyond the team spirit and values that have been with the company for 35 years? What are your reasons for moving forward?

Denise Bernachez

A lens requires 86 human steps to come into being. We produce it for the clinic, which supplies it to the patient. The ultimate goal for us is to improve someone’s life, and that’s what motivates me. I also work for my entrepreneurial clients to create value for their clinics. I’d say it’s the complexity of this environment that makes it so stimulating. In fact, there’s something, someone, somewhere who’s going to benefit from all our efforts. You don’t work for yourself, you work for others!

Denise, thank you for this interview, we wish you every success in your new role!