Welcoming Back Farheen Hajira

Welcome back Farheen. What do you do at Crane Brothers?

I have joined back as Office Administrator in Head Office. Essentially I take care of the staff and their wellbeing, ensuring there are smooth processes for each department, and oversee invoicing and accounts. The role is very diverse. Since I was at Crane Brothers previously for 10 years I understand all areas of the business and am able to be across it all from product, tailoring and logistics. Most importantly I know how Murray thinks (laughs).

You worked with Murray for nearly 10 years, in 2017 you left to spend more time with your children. Has much changed at Crane Brothers?

A lot has changed. Most notably the new faces in the team since my previous tenure. It's great to see diversity in all departments and the high level of talent we have here at Crane Brothers. Systems and processes internally have improved as well which makes my job easier. Finally the product was always second to none but since returning it’s even better. To me the product is the most important aspect of the business and it is what fulfils me the most. I paid a visit to the High Street store when Murray and I were in discussion about my return. Seeing the new developments from tailoring, denim to footwear in person made me extremely happy and excited to come back.

What is your favourite activity to do with your family?

Playing board games for sure. We normally play 5 Second Rule, Monopoly or Kahoot!. There’s also a game we used to play in India called “Name, Place, Animal, Thing” - you spin a wheel which selects a letter and you write down a name, a place, an animal and a thing. If anyone else matches what you wrote you get 5 points and if it’s unique you get 10 points, the person with the most points wins. During lockdowns my family and I played a lot, it created warm memories and made the time go by quickly.

What are your hopes for your children in the future?

First of all and most importantly I want them to be good human beings. Then I hope for them to be successful in life no matter what they choose to do. My son who is in his final year of high school wants to be an architect or engineer. Since our family is very close he is considering doing his studies at Auckland University but I would like to see him discover the world and even study abroad. Perhaps somewhere still close to home such as Australia, Singapore or Japan. My daughter is only eleven but has already decided she wants to study “bones” and be an osteopath. I am not entirely sure where that line of thinking came from and I have a feeling that her career choice will change in a few years (laughs).