Helly Hansen
Kontoor Brands, Inc. has announced the latest personnel changes at Helly Hansen:
- Joseph Alkire, Chief Financial Officer and Head of Global Operations at Kontoor Brands, has expanded his responsibilities and will immediately assume global management responsibilities for the Helly Hansen brand.
- Erinn Murphy has been appointed Vice President of Global Finance and Operations at Helly Hansen, while also overseeing the group’s investor relations, effective early May.
- Michael Karapetian‘s role has been further expanded as he takes on the position of Vice President of Global Brand and Operations Finance and Corporate Investor Relations.
Joseph Alkire, Erinn Murphy, Michael Karapetian
Joseph Alkire will assist Børre Hegbom, who was promoted last October to Global Business Leader and Senior Vice President of Helly Hansen.
Joseph Alkire joined Kontoor Brands in 2023 as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President, having previously held senior roles at BrüMate and VF Corporation.
In her new role, Erinn Murphy will be based at Helly Hansen’s headquarters in Oslo, Norway, working closely with the brand management team while also overseeing the group’s investor relations.
Prior to joining Kontoor Brands, Erinn Murphy served at footwear group Crocs as Senior Vice President of Investor Relations and Corporate Strategy. Earlier in her career, she was Managing Director of Consumer Equity Capital Markets at investment bank Piper Sandler and recently joined the board of directors of U.S. fashion retailer Rue Gilt Groupe.
With Erinn Murphy’s appointment, Michael Karapetian will take full responsibility for global brand, supply chain finance, and corporate investor relations. He will return to the United States from Oslo in the third quarter to complete the transition.
Nike
U.S. sportswear giant Nike has appointed Andy Caine as Chief Creative Officer, effective April 12.
In his new role, Andy Caine succeeds Tony Bignell, who held the position for less than a year, and will report to Phil McCartney, Chief Innovation, Design and Product Officer.
Andy Caine has been with Nike for more than 20 years and currently serves as Vice President and Creative Director of Nike Apparel. During his tenure, he led the development of the Mercurial football boot series and strengthened the Air franchise through the launch of products such as Air VaporMax, Air Liquid Max, and Air Max 1000. Before joining Nike, he worked at adidas-Salomon AG from 1998 to 2003, where he was responsible for footwear concept design.
Burton
U.S. snowboarding brand Burton has announced the departure of Chief Executive Officer John Lacy.
Donna Carpenter, wife of Burton founder Jake Burton Carpenter, will serve as interim CEO until a successor is appointed. John Lacy will remain with the company until the end of June to ensure a smooth transition.
John Lacy joined the company in 1997 and rose through the ranks over nearly 29 years. He was appointed Co-CEO in October 2018 and assumed sole leadership of the company following the passing of founder Jake Burton Carpenter in February 2020.
Rapha
Premium cycling brand Rapha has announced the appointment of Scott Mellin to its board of directors.
Scott Mellin is a seasoned executive in the outdoor and high-performance sports sectors, with three decades of experience in brand building, product innovation, and cultural marketing. He has held senior roles at outdoor brands The North Face and Salomon.
During his tenure as Global General Manager of Mountain Sports at The North Face, he repositioned the high-performance “Summit Series,” widely regarded as a key driver of the brand’s exponential growth. He also led the relaunch of the footwear category and advanced sustainability initiatives, increasing the proportion of recycled materials in products from single digits to over 70%.
As Global Chief Brand Officer at Salomon, he was responsible for the brand’s strategic planning, transformation, and modernisation.
Scott Mellin also previously served as Chief Executive Officer of advertising agency Factory Design Labs and has held roles at Italian apparel group Benetton and U.S. winter sports trade association Snowsports Industries America.
Unspun
Unspun, a sustainable textile startup that developed the world’s first 3D weaving technology for apparel, has appointed Arne Arens as Chief Executive Officer, effective last month.
Arne Arens will lead Unspun into its next phase of development, building automated and localised manufacturing infrastructure to enable large-scale adoption within the apparel industry.
Arne Arens previously spent more than a decade at outdoor brand The North Face. As Global Brand President, he drove significant global growth and strengthened the brand’s position as a leading global outdoor company. He later served as CEO of Boardriders, where he led the company through its acquisition by Authentic Brands Group. He brings decades of experience in operating and scaling global consumer brands, along with deep insight into the inventory and supply chain inefficiencies that cost the industry billions of dollars annually.
Unspun was founded in 2015 by Beth Esponnette, Walden Lam, and Kevin Martin. The company operates a microfactory and design studio in Oakland and is committed to reducing global carbon emissions by 1% through innovative technology. Its proprietary 3D weaving technology, Vega™, can transform thousands of yarns into garments within minutes, enabling near-zero-waste, on-demand manufacturing.
J-Star Holding
J-Star Holding Co., Ltd., a Taiwan-based manufacturer of carbon fibre and composite material solutions for rackets and bicycles, has appointed Jonathan Chiang as Chief Executive Officer.
In his new role, Jonathan Chiang succeeds Sam Van, who will continue to support the board of directors and management team as an advisor.
The board of J-Star Holding stated that Jonathan Chiang’s return as CEO “will provide experienced leadership and continuity during a period of increasing global economic uncertainty, supporting the company’s long-term growth strategy.”
Jonathan Chiang previously served as CEO of J-Star and has led the company’s development since its founding in 1968, guiding its growth into a global supplier of high-performance carbon composite products and advanced material solutions. He will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board.
J-Star’s predecessor group was established in 1970 and has accumulated more than 50 years of expertise in the composite materials industry. The company focuses on the research, development, and commercialisation of carbon fibre reinforcement and resin system technologies. Leveraging decades of experience and technical expertise, J-Star designs and manufactures a wide range of lightweight, high-performance carbon composite products, including key structural components for electric and sport bicycles, rackets, automotive parts, and healthcare products.
| Sources: Official press releases, personal social media accounts
| Image Credit: Company websites, personal social media accounts
| Editor: Luxeplace
