Rolex/Bucherer
Following its announcement in August last year about the acquisition of Swiss watch retailer Bucherer, Swiss luxury watch giant Rolex recently announced that Rolex’s Chairman, Nicolas Brunschwig, will also serve as Chairman of Bucherer’s Board of Directors. Additionally, Rolex’s CEO, Jean-Frédéric Dufour, has taken on the role of Vice Chairman at Bucherer. However, Guido Zumbühl will remain as Bucherer’s CEO.
Nicolas Brunschwig
Currently, the Bucherer board also includes Rolex CFO Christian Bezençon, Rolex board member Philippe Pascal, and Sören Schwieterka, a lawyer from the Lucerne-based law firm Mühlebach Advokatur, which has been handling Bucherer’s legal affairs for years.
Jean-Frédéric Dufour
Additionally, the Rolex acquisition of Bucherer, announced nearly a year ago, has recently received approval from both Swiss and EU competition and market regulatory authorities.
Victoria’s Secret
Victoria’s Secret (VS&Co), the American lingerie giant, recently announced the appointment of Hillary Super as its new CEO and board member, replacing Martin Waters, effective September 9. During the transition period, the company’s CFO and COO, Timothy Johnson, will serve as interim CEO. Martin Waters will continue as an advisor to the company until August 31 to support a smooth transition.
Hillary Super was most recently the CEO of Savage X Fenty, the lingerie and accessories brand by American singer Rihanna. Previously, she also served as the global CEO of Anthropologie, a brand under Urban Outfitters.
Hillary Super
Donna James, Chairman of Victoria’s Secret, stated that Hillary Super will lead the company into a new chapter, driving “the primary principles of our transformation strategy: accelerating growth in our core North American business… She understands vertically integrated retail brands and has an intuitive grasp of the consumer landscape, all based on customer insights.”
Donna James also expressed gratitude to Martin Waters for his contributions, saying, “He laid the foundation for Victoria’s Secret’s new chapter, established an inclusive culture, developed our digital platform capabilities, enhanced the online and offline customer experience, repositioned our international business for growth, and successfully executed our separation from the former parent company. We believe now is the best time to take the next step, and the new leadership will fully leverage Victoria’s Secret’s future opportunities.”
Akris
Swiss luxury fashion brand Akris recently announced the appointment of veteran fashion executive Jimmy Yeh as the new CEO of the Americas, succeeding Peter Herink, who has held the position since 2014. In his new role, Jimmy Yeh will be based in New York, reporting directly to Akris Global CEO Melissa Beste.
As Akris continues to expand its presence in the Americas, Jimmy Yeh’s extensive retail experience is seen as a key asset in driving the brand’s further development in the region. Akris has ambitious plans, including opening a new flagship store on Oak Street in Chicago and launching more flagship stores and franchise locations later this year. Under Yeh’s leadership, Akris will also continue to strengthen its marketing efforts and digital business.
Jimmy Yeh
Jimmy Yeh brings a wealth of experience in luxury fashion retail management, most recently serving as the retail director for Dolce & Gabbana. He has also held leadership positions at Chanel and Louis Vuitton.
Akris, founded in 1922 and headquartered in St. Gallen, Switzerland, is known for its fashionable and relaxed collections, currently designed by Creative Director Albert Kriemler. Since 2004, Kriemler has presented the brand’s collections at Paris Fashion Week, solidifying Akris’s position on the global fashion stage. Akris currently operates subsidiaries in Japan, the United States, and South Korea and has stores in major cities worldwide, with distribution through over 300 selected retail points.
Mattel
On August 14, California-based global toy giant Mattel announced the appointment of Sai Koorapati as Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, effective August 19, 2024.
In his new role, Sai Koorapati will oversee all aspects of Mattel’s technology innovation and implementation, including shared platforms, software and hardware development, artificial intelligence (AI), and the design and creation of connected products. He will also be responsible for Mattel’s online security and privacy areas. Koorapati will be based at Mattel’s global headquarters in El Segundo, California, reporting to Mattel CFO Anthony DiSilvestro. Anthony DiSilvestro expressed his anticipation for Sai’s expertise to help Mattel navigate the complex technological environment and drive innovation.
Sai Koorapati
Sai Koorapati holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Andhra University College of Engineering in India and a Master of Industrial Engineering Technology from the National Institute of Industrial Engineering in India. He has over 25 years of experience in technology leadership. Before joining Mattel, he served as Senior Vice President of Global Information Technology at Topgolf Callaway Brands. Over the past decade, he led a high-performing technology team, spearheading the company’s digital transformation, significantly accelerating growth, improving profitability, and enhancing risk management during four major acquisitions.
Previously, Koorapati held leadership positions at TaylorMade Golf, Gathering Storm Group of Companies, and other tech and manufacturing companies, with deep expertise in technology and business operations, and international operational experience in India, Malaysia, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
Wood Wood
Danish fashion brand Wood Wood recently announced the appointment of Gitte Wetter as the new Director of Menswear Design. Wood Wood was recently saved from the brink of bankruptcy and acquired by DK Company in April this year.
In her new role, Gitte Wetter will work closely with Creative Director and Co-founder Brian SS Jensen to oversee the brand’s menswear products. According to the statement, Gitte Wetter will ensure the continued development of Wood Wood’s two lines, Mainline and Double A by Wood Wood.
Gitte Wetter
According to Gitte Wetter’s LinkedIn profile, she will be transitioning to Wood Wood from Copenhagen-based brand Samsøe Samsøe, where she served as a menswear designer for over 15 years.
Copenhagen Fashion Week
Copenhagen Fashion Week recently announced the promotion of Isabella Rose to Chief Operating Officer. Previously, Isabella Rose served as the Communications and Digital Director for Copenhagen Fashion Week, helping to establish Copenhagen Fashion Week as the fifth major fashion week globally. In her new role, Isabella Rose will oversee all departments of Copenhagen Fashion Week and focus on developing the organization’s long-term strategy.
Isabella Rose
Isabella Rose’s career has largely involved working with emerging designers, from managing the studio of Fashion East award winner Claire Barrow to handling communications and sales for British Fashion Council’s Newgen brands. Her experience has been instrumental in helping Copenhagen Fashion Week’s participating brands and designers enter new markets and gain media exposure, including supporting designers such as Kristofer Kongshaug, Vincent Catani, and Cecilie Bahnsen.
Copenhagen Fashion Week CEO Cecilie Thorsmark acknowledged Isabella Rose’s contribution, stating, “The success of Copenhagen Fashion Week over the past few years would not have been possible without an extremely dedicated and hardworking team, and Isabella has played an absolutely invaluable role… I am confident that under her new position, we can continue to drive our organization forward towards new success.”
｜Sources: Official websites of the respective groups/brands, LinkedIn profiles of the executives, Watch Pro, Consumergoods.com, New York Post, Morning Star
｜Image Credit: Official websites of the respective groups/brands, LinkedIn profiles of the executives
｜Editor: LeZhi
