Personnel Updates | The North Face Appoints New President; Executive Changes at XPeng Motors and More

6月 11, 2024

The North Face/VF Corporation

VF Corporation, the American sports retail giant, has appointed Caroline Brown as the Global Brand President of its brand, The North Face, effective June 10.

From February to May 2024, she served as an independent director of VF Corporation.

Caroline Brown brings extensive industry experience, having led global companies and teams in the U.S., Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, the EU, and the UK. Her most recent position was Managing Director at New York investment firm Closed Loop Partners, overseeing the company’s fashion business.

Previously, Caroline Brown served as CEO of Donna Karan International and DKNY, where she led the company through transformation, enhancing product design, updating brand image, overseeing organizational restructuring and supply chain integration, and leading the sale of the company from LVMH to G-III Apparel Group.

Her career began at Giorgio Armani, and she has held executive positions at Carolina Herrera, Akris, and such.

The North Face’s former Global Brand President, Nicole Otto, assumed the role in June 2022, succeeding Steve Murray, who retired and returned to the UK.

VF Corporation also appointed Mindy Grossman and Kirk Tanner as independent directors, effective May 30.

XPeng Motors

On June 6, Chinese automotive brand XPeng Motors appointed Spanish industrial designer JuanMa Lopez as Vice President of the Styling Design Center.

In his new role, JuanMa Lopez will be responsible for managing the Styling Design Center and making design decisions.

JuanMa Lopez has 24 years of experience in industrial design, including 15 years in automotive design. His most recent position was Head of Genesis Design Europe. Previously, he served as Global Creative Director at Changan Automobile and as Global Exterior Design Director at BYD from 2018 to 2020, where he led the design of the BYD Han concept car, E-Seed GT. He joined Lamborghini in 2011 as Head of Interior Design, leading the design of models such as the Gallardo Spider, Murcielago Barchetta, and the Miura concept car.

In 2004, he joined Audi as Interior Design Manager, contributing to the design of the Audi Avantissimo*, Audi A4, and the Audi Quattro concept car. From 2010 to 2018, he served as Exterior Design Director at Ferrari, participating in the design of the LaFerrari and Monza SP models.

North Sails

Italian sports brand North Sails has appointed Victor Duran as the new CEO, who assumed the role on February 24.

With extensive experience in sports brand management, Victor Duran’s priorities in his new position include strengthening product marketing, consolidating the brand’s position in European markets, and expanding business beyond Europe.

Since 2019, Victor Duran has been with consulting firm McKinsey. From 2016 to 2019, he served as CEO of the Intersport Group and has also worked at Amer Sports, Rossignol, Caterpillar, and Zyman.

DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse/Designer Brands

Designer Brands Inc. has appointed Sarah Crockett as Chief Marketing Officer of DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, effective June 6.

In her new role, Sarah Crockett will oversee the planning, development, and execution of all marketing and advertising programs for DSW, covering nearly 500 stores in the U.S. and its e-commerce site. Her responsibilities include enhancing DSW’s brand awareness, improving customer engagement, and ensuring brand message consistency.

Sarah Crockett brings extensive experience in multi-channel and consumer-centric marketing, particularly in global omnichannel marketing and brand strategy development. Her most recent position was Global Chief Marketing Officer at Nature’s Sunshine Products, Inc. She has also held key positions at Dickies, Backcountry, Burton, Lucky Brand, Vans, and REI.

Sarah Crockett currently serves on the boards of outdoor brand Rumpl and lingerie and accessories brand Stance.

| Source: Official press releases, FashionNetwork

| Image Source: Official press releases

| Editor: LeZhi