Puma
Recently, the German sportswear brand Puma announced the appointment of Indrajeet Sen (38 years old) as Senior Vice President of Sourcing, taking over the operational duties from Chief Sourcing Officer Anne-Laure Descours, who will leave the company at the end of 2024 when her contract expires. After her departure, Descours will become an external advisor in the field of sustainability for Puma.
With Anne-Laure leaving at the end of 2024, the number of members on Puma’s management committee will be reduced from four to three. The board will consist of CEO Arne Freundt, CFO Hubert Hinterseher, and Chief Product Officer Maria Valdes.
Puma’s sourcing department is responsible for product development, production control, and supplier selection for both Puma and Cobra brands. Cobra, a manufacturer of golf clubs and equipment, was acquired by Puma in 2010. In his new role, Indrajeet Sen will oversee global sourcing, development, operations, and sustainability for Puma’s footwear, apparel, and accessories. He will be based in Xiamen, China, and will report directly to Puma’s Chief Product Officer, Maria Valdes.
Indrajeet Sen
Indrajeet Sen joined Puma in 2016, most recently serving as Vice President of Footwear Sourcing and Development. Before joining Puma, he was the Global Quality Manager for the German shoe retailer Deichmann.
Puma CEO Arne Freundt commented in a press release: “Indrajeet Sen has played a crucial role in our success in the footwear sector. He has excelled in multiple key positions, including effectively handling the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, diversifying the supply chain, and improving operational efficiency.”
Puma has also started focusing on increasing transparency in its leather supply chain. As early as July 2023, Puma joined the “Leather Defenders Against Deforestation” initiative, which aims to enhance supply chain transparency across industries by identifying the sources of raw materials.
Jott
Recently, the French down jacket brand Jott announced the appointment of Benjamin Durand-Servoingt, a former executive at the French fashion group Etam, as President and General Manager, succeeding Didier Lalance. In his new role, Durand-Servoingt’s mission is to “continue the brand’s expansion, broaden Jott’s scope, and expand its product range.”
Didier Lalance joined Jott in early 2021, shortly after the company was acquired by L Catterton, the world’s largest consumer-focused private equity fund under the LVMH Group, which also owns fashion and luxury brands such as Ganni, Etro, and Birkenstock.
Benjamin Durand-Servoingt
Benjamin Durand-Servoingt had been with Etam Group since 2019, serving as Chief Operating Officer, overseeing the group’s transformation. Prior to that, he spent eight years at McKinsey & Company, leading the fashion, beauty, and luxury sectors in the French market.
Since being acquired by L Catterton, Jott has continued its expansion, with over 200 boutiques in around 30 countries, and its products distributed through numerous multi-brand retailers. The future direction for Jott is to “inject new vitality” into the brand and “adapt to market developments.” Besides market expansion, Jott has broadened its product range, moving beyond its reliance on winter down jackets by adding categories such as sportswear and sneakers. In 2022, Jott reported revenues of 150 million euros.
Under Armour
Recently, the American sportswear brand Under Armour appointed Franck Denglos as Vice President of Commerce for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), effective September 1. Denglos will be based in Under Armour’s Amsterdam office.
Franck Denglos has extensive experience in the sports, lifestyle, and fashion industries, having worked at adidas for 25 years, most recently serving as President of adidas Italy. He brings a wealth of international and cross-functional expertise in driving commercial success and strategic growth.
Franck Denglos
In his new role, Denglos will oversee all sales channels for Under Armour in the EMEA region, including wholesale, distributors, e-commerce, and retail. His main focus will be to accelerate growth and expand Under Armour’s influence in the region.
Under Armour has recently strengthened its leadership team with the addition of Chief Product Officer Yassine Saidi and Executive Vice President of Brand Strategy Eric Liedtke. The brand has also refocused its efforts on sportswear innovation and continues to enhance athlete performance, while expanding youth sports participation through initiatives like UA Next London.
Gymshark
Recently, the British fitness apparel brand Gymshark appointed Sian Keane, former Chief People Officer of luxury e-commerce platform Farfetch, as Chief Talent Officer to strengthen its leadership team.
Keane spent 11 years at Farfetch, where she helped grow the company from 100 employees to over 7,000 globally, and oversaw the integration of 10 acquisitions. Before that, she held several senior roles within Farfetch’s talent recruitment department.
Sian Keane
In her new role, Keane will be responsible for talent strategy, helping Gymshark transform into an international omnichannel company. Currently, the focus is on “attracting, developing, and retaining world-class talent” during the next critical growth phase.
Gymshark founder and CEO Ben Francis said: “I want Gymshark to be a brand that lasts… To achieve that goal, we need the best talent to drive us forward and share that ambition—they are our most important asset. As Gymshark transitions from a pure e-commerce business to an omnichannel enterprise, attracting, developing, and retaining world-class talent is critical.”
Kästle USA
Recently, Austrian century-old ski brand Kästle appointed Steven Poulin as the new President and CEO of Kästle USA, effective September 1. Poulin will be based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Steven Poulin has over 15 years of executive experience, with the last 10 years focused on strategic development and execution within the ski industry. His most recent role was CEO of Swix Sport USA, where he led the company to record-high revenues and profitability, with year-on-year growth doubling.
Steven Poulin
In his new role, Poulin stated, “As a company, we plan to emphasize a broader strategic planning approach; as a brand, we intend to continue focusing on strategic development, entering new markets and product categories. This will provide new growth opportunities for us and our retailers.” Kästle, founded in 1924, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
| Sources: Brand/Company Websites, Executive LinkedIn Profiles, X (formerly Twitter), Sports-insight.co.uk, Retailgazette.co.uk, Snowsports.org
| Image Credit: Brand/Company Websites, Executive LinkedIn Profiles
| Editor: LeZhi
