Adidas
German sports brand Adidas’ Global Operations Head, Martin Shankland, is set to leave the company and exit the executive board effective August 10.
Martin Shankland has served Adidas for 27 years, joining Adidas Russia/CIS in 1997 as General Manager, where he led the establishment of the company’s DTC business. Since 2017, he has headed Adidas’ emerging markets business and joined the executive board in 2019, overseeing product operations, procurement and supply chain, technology, data and analytics, non-trade procurement, and sustainability.
Senior Vice President of Procurement, Hoa Ly, will fully take over the company’s procurement operations, reporting directly to CEO Bjørn Gulden. CFO Harm Ohlmeyer will also manage the company’s supply chain and technology.
Starting August 11, the new executive board lineup at Adidas will be: Bjørn Gulden (CEO, Global Brand), Arthur Hoeld (Global Sales), Harm Ohlmeyer (CFO), and Michelle Robertson (Global Human Resources, People and Culture).
Under Armour
American sports brand Under Armour has appointed Eric Liedtke as Executive Vice President of Brand Strategy.
Before joining the brand, Eric Liedtke worked at German sports giant Adidas for 26 years, serving as Brand President and Executive Board Member from 2014 to 2019.
In 2020, Liedtke co-founded the zero-plastic recycled fashion brand Unless Collective with executives from Adidas, Quicksilver, and R/GA, demonstrating a better way for the industry by proving plants can replace plastic in apparel and footwear production. Before this appointment, Under Armour acquired Unless Collective.
In his new role, Eric Liedtke will continue leading Unless Collective while accelerating Under Armour’s growth, reporting to President and CEO Kevin Plank.
His specific responsibilities include overseeing Under Armour’s brand image and storytelling, strategic planning, and executing transformation plans globally through category marketing, consumer intelligence, creative, marketing, loyalty, social media, sports marketing, and all strategic functions.
Bogner
German luxury sports brand Bogner’s parent company, Willy Bogner GmbH, announced that CEO Gerrit Schneider will leave at the end of the year to join kitchen accessories brand Wilh. Werhahn KG as a director.
Simultaneously, Daniel Hiendlmeier will join Bogner’s board, and the Bogner family has decided to sell their company shares to a strategic partner.
Gerrit Schneider, Daniel Hiendlmeier
Gerrit Schneider initially joined Bogner in 2019 as CFO, became Co-CEO in April 2020, and has been CEO since November 2022.
In actuality, Schneider has transferred brand management duties to Daniel Hiendlmeier since June, who started collaborating with Bogner in May 2023, contributing significantly in sustainability, the Chinese joint venture, and corporate culture. Hiendlmeier previously held positions at Adidas, Gore, and Mammut.
The leadership changes are driven by Bogner’s search for a strong partner through share sales to invest in the group’s global development.
Until his departure, Gerrit Schneider will collaborate with Daniel Hiendlmeier, CFO Frank Wiesner, and General Counsel & Compliance Officer Juliane Drerup-Hero in seeking new investors, leading the company with a strong and proven management team.
Bogner reported record revenues for the 2023/24 fiscal year, with financial data to be released soon.
Haglöfs
Swedish outdoor clothing and gear manufacturer Haglöfs AB has appointed Andreas Oliver Lorenz as Chief Commercial Officer, effective August.
Over the past decade, Andreas Oliver Lorenz has held various global and regional leadership positions at Adidas and On, gaining extensive experience in strategic partnerships and driving profitable growth.
In his new role, Andreas Oliver Lorenz will drive market share growth and commercial goals for Haglöfs, joining the senior management team and reporting directly to interim Co-CEOs Daniel Tseung and Tom Pitts.
Rapha
Global leading cycling lifestyle apparel brand Rapha has appointed Fran Millar as CEO, effective September 23, succeeding Francois Concervey.
Francois Concervey served as Rapha’s Chief Brand and Marketing Officer since 2015, Co-General Manager in November 2022, and CEO in October 2023.
Rapha founder Simon Mottram stated that Fran Millar has collaborated with the brand since 2006, helping to establish and run the Nocturne series events, and introduced the brand to Dave Brailsford and Team Sky, leading to a four-year successful partnership.
Fran Millar brings extensive experience in the cycling industry. From 2000 to 2008, she was the founder and Creative Director of Face Partnership, a British cycling management agency representing top British cyclists and creating the Revolution series. In 2006, Face partnered with Rapha and Condor Cycles to develop the Smithfield Nocturne and managed the series for six years.
From 2008 to 2018, Fran Millar played a crucial role in the creation and operation of Team Sky, holding various positions including Project Manager and CEO, and leading the team’s cultural projects. She then served as CEO of Team Ineos from 2018 to 2020, overseeing the transition from Team Sky to Team Ineos, and acted as Deputy CEO for the Ineos 1:59 Challenge.
Since 2020, Fran Millar has been the CEO of Belstaff, improving the brand’s performance, repositioning it, and leading cultural changes to enhance operational efficiency.
Scott
Cycling brand Scott’s U.S. subsidiary, Scott USA, has appointed Jake Dudek as Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately.
With over 15 years of experience in consumer goods and retail operations, finance, and analytics, Jake Dudek will manage finance, operations, and e-commerce teams, driving Scott’s commercial strategy and operational efficiency in the U.S.
Before joining Scott, Jake Dudek was Vice President of Commercial Operations at Signa Sports United and previously served as Director of Supply Chain Management at Lovevery. He also held multiple roles at Backcountry, including merchandise planning, corporate strategy, and leading the bicycle business across the product portfolio.
Adapt/Gymshark
British sports brand Gymshark has appointed fitness enthusiast and influencer Whitney Simmons as the first Creative Director of its women’s line, Adapt.
Whitney Simmons has 3.9 million followers on Instagram and over 2.4 million subscribers on YouTube. She has been a partner with Gymshark for eight years, launching five collaborative collections.
In her new role, she will work closely with Gymshark’s product team to provide creative direction and design for the upcoming Adapt Safari collection and future Adapt series.
Equinox
New York luxury fitness brand Equinox has appointed Marc Mastronardi as President, effective August 12, succeeding Scott DeRue, who left in January.
In his new role, Marc Mastronardi will lead all club product operations, employee and member experiences, financial performance, and process innovation. He will work with Equinox’s executive leadership team to formulate organizational strategies to drive profitability and growth, reporting to Equinox Group Executive Chairman and Managing Partner Harvey Spevak.
Equinox Group’s portfolio includes Equinox, Equinox Hotels, SoulCycle, Blink Fitness, and E by Equinox.
Marc Mastronardi has over 25 years of retail experience, most recently serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Stores Officer at Macy’s, overseeing over 500 stores and 75,000 employees. A Boston College graduate, Mastronardi began his career at May Department Stores in Boston, holding various merchandise planning positions.
| Sources: Official press releases, SGB Media
| Image Credit: Official brand websites, personal social media accounts
| Editor: LeZhi
