EssilorLuxottica's 360 presenters: Stephen Locke, Matteo Accornero, Larissa Brander, Kurt Tyson and Tim Thurn

Taking over one of the many sumptuous conference rooms at the new Park Hyatt hotel in Auckland, EssilorLuxottica ANZ’s top team joined their New Zealand counterparts to promote their latest offering to Kiwi independent optometry practices.

Introducing the team and himself, EssilorLuxottica ANZ’s new general manager Matteo Accornero drew a laugh from the audience by telling them in a strong, lilting Italian accent, that, yes, he was clearly Italian, and not to worry, he is older than he looks. “I’m very happy to be here tonight, for me, the first time in Auckland in this role… and for the first time we are here as one team.” Tonight is about how EssilorLuxottica’s complete business - lenses, frames and instruments - can work together and better to support New Zealand independents’ growth through stronger partnerships, he said.

Before discussing the new 360 offering, Stephen Locke, vice president optical, provided an overview of EssilorLuxottica’s latest milestones, including its consumer-focused campaign for its myopia lens Stellest and the launch of new frames brands, its latest progressive lens Varilux XR and Ray-Ban Reverse, with concave lenses designed to fit the face’s curvature.

EssilorLuxottica’s wholesale marketing director Larissa Brander then outlined Essilor 360, offering two new levels of partnership, ‘gold’ and ‘diamond’, based on committed spend and growth. Both, she said, are designed to:

• Differentiate and elevate each practice with enhanced visibility and the introduction of innovative technology, including digital windows and a customised calendar of activities across frames and lenses to elevate the practice and drive traffic
• Enhance patients’ experience through tools and services that provide a more engaging patient journey, including the company’s digital eyewear platform Smartshopper, “to enhance the shopping experience through an endless aisle and product customisation”
• Improve practice profitability through enablers that boost productivity and drive value, including access to special financing options for instruments and practice development funds to invest in business growth.

Tim Thurn, the company’s medical and professional relations director, discussed the latest developments in EssilorLuxottica’s innovative learning platform Leonardo, including its updated myopia management content, and myopia Stellest lenses. Four-year clinical trial data for Stellest continued to be positive, with average axial elongation and spherical equivalent refraction less than half that of the control data, he said. “Over four years, Stellest lenses demonstrated a total accumulated slowdown in myopia progression by 1.34D and in axial elongation by 0.62mm on average.” Myopia control efficacy was also sustained in older children (11- to 15-year-olds) over a four-year period, offering further opportunities to independent practices, he said.

Brander then introduced the audience to two new frames brands, Tiffany and the more affordable Coach, before handing over to EssilorLuxottica’s New Zealand commercial sales director Kurt Tyson ​to wrap up and invite the audience to try on some of the new frames brands for themselves.