Leanne Evans never went looking for a job in the furniture industry. More than 25 years ago, the furniture industry found her and she hasn’t looked back since, particularly after her last 12 years at King Living. 

Most recently, Leanne was promoted to the position of Head of Retail - AU/NZ, a role that represents her depth of experience and leadership capabilities. 

“My role involves working with our Showroom teams for continuous improvement, so that we absolutely provide the best customer experience possible,” she explains. “When a customer comes into one of our Showrooms, we need to deliver the wow factor.  

“The world is constantly evolving and we’re always introducing new products. We need to ensure our teams are up to date, not just with products but also from an operations perspective, so we can enhance the customer journey.” 

Speaking from her experience of progressing in different roles at King Living, Leanne shares her leadership philosophy and how she fosters talent and opportunities for her team. 

Leanne shares fabric samples at King Living Moore Park Showroom.

A culture of career progression

Over her years of working at King Living, Leanne has worked across a number of different roles. In 2011, she joined the business to open the flagship Showroom in Moore Park. Four years later she was promoted to the role of NSW/New Zealand State Manager and then to Northern Region Retail Manager five years after that. 

Leanne can also provide a long list of names of colleagues she’s worked with over the years who have progressed within the business. She values this ability to move around the business and says it’s testament to the King Living workplace culture. 

“As a family business we care for our people,” says Leanne. “We believe in fostering a positive, enjoyable work environment that ensures people want to come to work every day. We’re also very much into developing talent. We like to move people around the business because we recognise that not everyone wants to stay in the same role.” 

Of each of her promotions within the company, Leanne says that these weren’t roles she necessarily went looking for. Rather, they are a product of the internal promotion culture within the business that recognises and fosters talent.  

“From a career progression point of view, we’re very proactive,” she explains. “We look at the attributes each team member brings to the business and help them to develop their skills. But we’re also very good at sharing internal opportunities across the business so people can put their hand up for roles that interest them.” 

Leanne aims to continually inspire the best in her team.

Inviting people to reach their full potential

In her role as Head of Retail - AU/NZ, Leanne says that it’s her responsibility to nurture high performing teams. 

“When you look after your team, in turn they’ll look after your customers,” she asserts. “But also, by looking after your team, you empower each individual to achieve their potential.” 

This is a part of her role that Leanne enjoys. Career progression is always front of mind, ensuring she is inspiring the best in her team. 

“I take a mentoring and coaching approach to career development,” she explains. “We always make sure to provide opportunities for individuals to progress to the next level. For an Assistant Manager, that might look like attending leadership meetings and training programs to address any skill gaps.  

“We also look at measurable goals for professional development and help people to identify where they want to go in the business. People don’t always see the good qualities in themselves. This is where mentoring and coaching is so valuable to help them develop self-belief to have the confidence to take the next step in their career.” 

Featuring the King Living London Showroom.

The opportunities of vertical integration

Vertical integration isn’t just good for the business and our customers, Leanne says that this model also provides incredible opportunities for our people. 

“We’re not just a furniture company,” she asserts. “We have marketing, operations, visual merchandising, customer service and design departments, among others. That provides people with opportunities they wouldn’t get elsewhere. They can learn about different areas of the business and explore different career paths. With our global expansion, many of our staff are also getting the opportunity to develop international experience.” 

Humble about her expertise and committed to her team and our customers, Leanne is excited by the work ahead and building for the future of King Living. 

Interested in developing your career in a thriving business with nurturing and supportive leaders? Explore the opportunities of a career with King Living.   

Discover more King Living career stories:  

• Mathew Milne: A global retail career with King Living  
• Zara Fong: A day in the life of a King Living junior designer  
• Adam Cremona: Career progression in retail and customer care at King Living  
• Jamin Daniels: Redefining the King Living customer experience