We are delighted to announce the promotion of Jeff Tsang who has been appointed as General Manager at Cult. Following 15 years working across a range of departments and leadership roles at Cult, this new role will see Jeff lead the team in Australia. Here, we sit down with Jeff to find out more about his career highlights, 2023 goals and more. 

When did you join the Cult team? 

15 years ago! Although I have had a couple of breaks over the years. I started at the beginning of 2008 whilst studying Interior Architecture at UNSW. One of my classmates who was working at Corporate Culture at the time asked me to help cover the showroom over a weekend while the company went on the annual conference. My interview for that was effectively a brief conversation with Richard – we spoke that first day, asked me to look after the store, and simply handed me the keys.

Tell us about your different roles at Cult? 

I have worked in a range of sales and marketing positions across retail, trade and wholesale markets, in both Sydney and Melbourne, learning from an incredibly diverse group of people along the way, which grew to leadership positions that encompassed brand strategy and people & culture.  

What are some of the highlights from your 15 years at Cult?

There are so many! Project managing the new Melbourne showroom development on Elizabeth St, working with Design Office and Greenwood Built to deliver that stunning space that culminated in an official opening with the Crown Prince and Princess of Denmark in 2011 was a very rewarding experience. 

I have enjoyed working on a number of branding projects, including the Cult Rebrand that boldly saw us transform from Corporate Culture to Cult, and marking our focus on developing the Retail arm of the business in 2014. I was also part of the team to develop NAU and led the launch of the brand in New York and Melbourne in 2017. The Chairity Project and relaunching the Cultivated brand in 2021 are other highlights. 

Finally, emerging from the previous two years with an incredible line up of activity in 2022 – a new HAY store in Sydney, opening a new HAY store in Melbourne, reviving the Chairity Project, opening our first Cult store in Singapore, launching two of our strongest NAU collections ever.

Official Cult Melbourne showroom opening with the Crown Prince and Princess of Denmark in 2011.

Relaunch of Cult's sustainability platform, Cultivated, during Melbourne Design Week 2021.

nau brand launch at ICFFF in New York, 2017. 

What are your goals and plans for 2023 in your role? 

2023 is all about preparing for and looking ahead to the future. We have spent so much of the past 3 years working quarter to quarter as both the business and our team, like everyone else in the world, navigated through really challenging circumstances. Thankfully, our part of the world is adapting and moving forward, and so is Cult. My job will be to help harness our people and their skills, and to ready the business over the course of the year to propel us forward.  

How has Cult grown over the last 25 years?  

The growth that Cult has seen over the years has certainly been significant – from one showroom in Sydney servicing the contract market to 7 showrooms across three countries operating in retail, contract, wholesale, e-commerce and export, but at the core Cult has remained fairly constant in the focus on our customers, our brands and authentic design. Backed by a strong team and forged ahead by Richard, we now cover a lot of ground, which has its inherent challenges but is also a source of great potential for the business as we continue to grow.

Cult Singapore Showroom, launched in November 2022. 

The Chairity Project exhibition at Cult Melbourne, 2022.

What do you enjoy most about being part of the Cult team?

To not only be a part of a team that enjoys being together and respects one another, but to help shape that team and in turn learn from the diverse collective of experiences and expertise within it, is deeply rewarding.

How does Cult differ from other players in the furniture industry in Australia?

Over the years, we have continued to focus on what matters to us – enhance our customer experience, advocate for authentic design, invest in Australian design, and address sustainability meaningfully. There is of course always a need to understand where we sit within a wider context of the industry, but I believe that over the years as we have matured, that view has become more peripheral and hopefully how we differ is in those core values.  

The latest nau collection launch released in January 2023, including the Lincoln Sofa System by Adam Goodrum and Nami Bistro Table by Tom Fereday.

Cult is the purveyor of the best in international design with a portfolio of over 35 brands across furniture, lighting, accessories, storage and kitchen – predominantly from Denmark and Italy. Shop online Australia-wide at cultdesign.com.au, or find your local store and view opening hours here.