Alejandro may have come from an economics background, but he knows how to grow a sunglasses company. Alejandro began his career as a Director of Trade for Latin America and Executive Trader of ICC-OEOC – shortly after graduating with an economics degree from Suffolk University of Massachusetts, USA.
Alejandro Betancourt and Hawkers may sound like an unlikely pairing, given that the Venezuelan-born businessman progressed his career in energy. Alejandro eventually became the CEO and Chairman of Derwick Associates, an engineering and construction company. How is it, then, Alejandro recently managed to grow one of the most successful sunglasses companies in the world?
The Rise of Hawkers
Founded in 2013, the Hawkers sunglasses company has grown rapidly and is continuing to further expand. Within its first year of operating, Hawkers exceeded the revenue of 15 million euros, increasing to 40 million the following year. In 2016, the company received its first round of financing of 50 million euros from investors.
Hawkers sunglasses first started as an online retail store only, however, after considerable investments, the company was able to open up its first physical store at the end of 2017. Seeing a great success in physical stores, the company opened an impressive 23 new establishments in the following year as well as set a strategic goal to reach 40 stores by the summer. The sunglasses giant currently owns stores across the UK, Spain, Italy, and Portugal as well as sells to more than 140 countries through their online store.
Currently, Hawkers are amongst the most famous sunglasses brands and have reached global recognition not only from their customers but from famous prescribers too. The likes of the rapper Usher, footballer Lionel Messi, pilot Felipe Massa, actress Paula Echevarría and racer Lewis Hamilton have publicly endorsed the brand. The company also previously collaborated with other known brands, such as LA Lakers and Mercedes-Benz, exposing Hawkers sunglasses to new customers.
The Hawkers Sunglasses
The most distinguishing feature of Hawker’s sunglasses was the colored crystals, which has led the company to the success it is seeing today. However, the brand currently offers a wide range of exclusive styles, catering to the different needs of their customers. The sunglasses are made from different materials too, using stainless steel, polarised lenses, and 100% UV400 protection. Hawkers are focused on offering the best quality designer glasses for a much more reasonable price compared to its competitors.
In addition to normal sunglasses, Hawkers also offer ski goggles and blue light glasses in their collection. The company also entered the contact lens business in 2013 after the purchase of the industry online startup Loopas. Hawkers company is continuing to expand within both the sunglasses and the opticals industry, offering the most stylish and high-quality glasses for reasonable prices.
The Future of Alejandro Betancourt
Going forward, Alejandro Betancourt is planning to continue focusing on giving back to the communities and contributing towards progress and development. Improving education is one of his key focuses which he has been supporting for a while now, building new facilities and refurbishing local schools, all with sustainability in mind. Alejandro also values communication and transparency, which he is promising to be at the heart of any future projects he and his companies get involved in.
