British-born Woollcott joined King Living as CEO in November 2022, backed by years of experience working in the premium home appliances and luxury automobiles sectors in the UK, Europe and Australia, with brands such as BMW Group, Fisher & Paykel, and Miele. A native of Northamptonshire (“The home of beautiful English countryside, old country estates and the world’s finest handmade shoes!” he proudly declares), Woollcott is tasked with building on King Living’s past successes and maintain its momentum well into the future. We speak to the former engineer to learn more about what motivates him and drives the brand under his care.

What is a typical day in your corporate life like?

I go to the office every day from about 8.30am until 5pm. I limit e-mail to about 30 minutes in the morning, and also check in with social media to keep updated on events and customer sentiments. I have a regular schedule of one-on-one meetings and group meetings, with about half the day set aside for issues that need more immediate attention. My door is always open, and I always find time around midday to meet with the customer support and design teams in Sydney. Much value is gained from sporadic conversations and more casual engagement. I am naturally curious and want to understand as many areas of King Living and our context as possible.

What is your overall remit with regard to the brand?

I have been asked by our board to develop a plan of sustainable processes that will take us to our 100th year. I may not be in my role for this length of time, but the direction is one of longevity and purpose. Having established a 47-year-old family business, [founder] David King is passionate about this, and has asked me to develop capabilities that deliver for our customers, long into the future.

How do you plan to establish this 100 year-old business at King Living?

Nurturing a culture that can support a regular cadence of reliable, sustained growth while remaining agile is a complicated balance to achieve, from design to manufacturing to retail to delivery. This can be realised by ensuring the long-term development of a talented team of diverse individuals, as I can’t deliver this on my own. The structure of our weekly and monthly rhythm is also key to achieving this, and needs constant refining. We enjoy the freedoms of an evolving strategy and vision. Working at King Living, it’s best to stay on your toes!

What makes King Living sofas so special?

Their modularity, durability, and ease of customisation. Whether you want deeper seats, or a higher sofa, we can fulfil that. R&D is in our heritage: we have our own patented steel frame that comes with a 25-year warranty, while the Postureflex Seating System is a suspension innovation similar to those used in Porsche and Rolls-Royce cars. Until being introduced to King Living, I didn’t appreciate what makes a truly great piece of furniture.

Do you have any furniture from King Living in your own home? 

I have the Jasper sofa, which I love lounging on with my wife and kids. It is unpretentious and unfussy, and its sheer scale is perfect for a growing family. Its configurability, and choice of leathers and fabrics also offer many customisation options, without the excessive prices. I also have the Bellaire bed with our Sleep+ 6000 mattress. Its combination of structure, materiality and weight means it is easily the most comfortable bed we have owned, and it is beautiful to look at, too. 

What interior design trends have you noticed in recent years?

Customers are becoming more discerning and demanding greater flexibility from their living spaces, with durable furniture that is adaptable to changing needs. We also noticed that our younger customers tend to be transient; they’re still building their lives. We created the casual and playful 1977 sofa to address this, because it is something they can take on their journey thanks to its modularity and easy maintenance. 

Could you tell us more about your upcoming business plans?

We have expansions planned in Australia, and are also renovating four legacy stores there in 2024. Our younger customers are more digital-savvy, so digitisation will be key. Our products are very tactile, but we’d like to expand our capabilities in the digital realm and give customers more tools to envision our products in their spaces. We are also growing our capabilities with interior designers because some markets, such as Singapore, work really closely with them.

What highlights can homeowners look forward to from King Living?

We’re launching a new sofa collection called Aura in Singapore, which features an organic, curved design yet is also highly adaptable. Aura has hidden storage in the base, and adjustable and moveable armrests and backrests, both of which are unique in the market for curved sofas.

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