Condé Nast/Mattel
Roger Lynch, Chief Executive Officer of media giant Condé Nast, has announced his departure to become Chief Executive Officer of toy manufacturer Mattel.
Roger Lynch joined Condé Nast in spring 2019 as the group’s first Chief Executive Officer following its restructuring, shortly after the publishing group merged its US and international businesses. He was appointed for his expertise in technology and media, having previously led streaming radio service Pandora and founded Sling TV.
Condé Nast has begun the search for its next Chief Executive Officer. Independent director Mike Perlis will serve as interim Chief Executive Officer during the transition. Roger Lynch will retain his board seat to ensure continuity in the group’s strategic direction.
Levi Strauss & Co
Levi Strauss & Co., the parent company of American casual denim brand Levi’s, has appointed John Vandemore as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective November 1, 2026.
John Vandemore has more than 25 years of financial leadership experience across the global consumer, retail and entertainment industries. He joins Levi Strauss & Co. from comfort lifestyle brand Skechers, where he served as Chief Financial Officer for the past nine years.
John Vandemore previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Global Brands and Commercial Sales, at Mattel, Inc.; Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer at gaming company International Game Technology; and held several senior finance and operational roles at The Walt Disney Company.
He began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers and subsequently held various finance roles at management consultancy AlixPartners, LLC, investment bank Goldman Sachs and Deloitte. He holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame.
Dr. Martens
British footwear brand Dr. Martens has appointed Kate Vacovec as Global Commercial Finance Director.
In her new role, Kate Vacovec will lead the company’s global commercial finance team, reporting to Chief Financial Officer Giles Wilson. She will also work closely with Chief Commercial Officer Mike Stopforth, President, Americas, Paul Zadoff, and market general managers to implement the company’s commercial strategy and support market teams worldwide. She will also join the company’s leadership team.
Kate Vacovec previously spent nearly 15 years at global consumer company Yum! Brands, holding several senior finance and general business management roles. Most recently, she served as Chief Financial Officer of Pizza Hut’s International Operating Markets.
G-III
American fashion group G-III Apparel Group has appointed Emily George as President, Direct-to-Consumer, North America.
In her new role, Emily George will lead G-III’s direct-to-consumer retail and digital strategy and growth across North America, with a focus on the newly acquired Marc Jacobs brand. She will report to G-III Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Morris Goldfarb and Marc Jacobs Chief Executive Officer Eric Marechalle.
G-III’s brand portfolio also includes DKNY, Karl Lagerfeld and premium swimwear and beachwear brand Vilebrequin.
Emily George brings extensive experience in brand building, luxury retail and commercial operations, with particular expertise in clienteling and the customer experience. She previously served as President, Americas, and Head of Global Wholesale at French luxury brand Balmain. Earlier in her career, she spent more than 19 years at Marc Jacobs, holding several management roles across sales, retail and commercial operations before becoming Senior Vice President, Commercial, Americas, and Global Sales Operations.
Playboy
American fashion brand Playboy has announced its latest executive appointments:
- Amanda Alborano (below left) as Art Director
- Andrew Phillips (below right) as Director of Audience
In their new roles, Amanda Alborano and Andrew Phillips will work together in complementary capacities to shape Playboy’s visual style, brand tone and engagement with audiences worldwide. Both will report to Chief Brand Officer and Editor-in-Chief Phillip Picardi.
Amanda Alborano will further develop the company’s refreshed creative direction and brand identity across media, licensing, merchandise and live experiences. She will evolve its signature visual language while preserving the core creative elements that have made the brand globally recognisable for decades.
Amanda Alborano has a multidisciplinary creative background spanning branding, design, photography, publishing and experiences. She has developed brand ecosystems and creative projects for clients including A24, New Balance, Nike and GMC. During her time at advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy, she worked on campaigns and brand platform projects for clients including Google, Michelob Ultra and McDonald’s. Earlier in her career, she also held an editorial role at Teen Vogue.
Andrew Phillips will develop the brand’s social media strategy, introducing it to emerging communities while deepening engagement with its existing loyal audience. He will expand its presence in sports and entertainment, develop storytelling primarily for social platforms, engage entertainers and Playmates as brand ambassadors, and explore new opportunities across emerging platforms, audio and podcasts.
Andrew Phillips previously served as Director of Social Media at functional beverage brand CELSIUS Energy Drink. Earlier in his career, he held similar roles at nutrition company Evolution Nutrition, wealth management firm Global Wealth Management and digital marketing agency Tandem Interactive.
| Sources: Official press releases, personal social media accounts, FashionNetwork
| Image Credit: Personal social media accounts
| Editor: Luxeplace
