Moves Across The Industry!
Welcome back to Virtua Weekly, where we break down the biggest stories emerging from the sports, fashion & outdoor industries each week!
Here's what you need to know:
Fanatics , the global digital sports platform, announced this week that Trevor Edwards has been appointed to its Board of Directors, effective immediately.
Mr. Edwards served as President of Nike from 2013 until his retirement in 2018. Prior to that, he held a series of executive leadership positions at Nike, including Executive Vice President of Global Category and Brand Management, Corporate Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Vice President of NIKE USA Brand Management, and Vice President of Marketing of NIKE Europe, Middle East, and Africa.
“I couldn’t think of a better person to join our Board right now than Trevor Edwards,” said Michael Rubin, Founder and CEO, Fanatics. “Trevor has incredible experience in building brands and expanding businesses globally, while never losing focus on the importance of the fan experience. We are thrilled to have him on our team.”
Edwards was chosen to join Fanatics’ Board of Directors for his deep knowledge and expertise in the sports industry and direct-to-consumer business, along with his ability to elevate and expand a company’s brand. His proven success in growing market share internationally, combined with his passion for continuously improving the consumer experience, will further support Fanatics’ mission to create the leading global digital sports platform.
“I am thrilled to join the Fanatics Board at this transformative time,” said Mr. Edwards. “Michael and the Fanatics team have a compelling vision to reshape the landscape by innovating the fan experience and better serving fans around the world, and I am excited to be a part of this journey.”
PUMA Group has appointed Indrajeet Sen as Senior Vice President PUMA Group Sourcing, taking over the operational responsibilities of the Chief Sourcing Officer role. PUMA’s Chief Sourcing Officer Anne-Laure Descours has decided not to extend her board contract and support the company as an external advisor in the field of sustainability.
In his new role, Indy will oversee global sourcing and development for footwear, apparel, and accessories, along with operations and sustainability. He will report directly to PUMA’s Chief Product Officer, Maria Valdes, and will be based in Xiamen, China. Indy has been with PUMA since 2016, most recently serving as Vice President of Sourcing and Development for Footwear. Prior to joining PUMA, he worked as Global Quality Manager for the German footwear retailer Deichmann .
“Indy has been instrumental to our success in Footwear,” said Arne Freundt, CEO of PUMA. “He has excelled in various key roles such as adeptly managing the challenges of the COVID pandemic, diversifying our supply chain, and driving exceptional operational efficiency. Indy’s forward-thinking approach, people-first mindset, and relentless dedication of continuously challenging the status quo make him the ideal leader to spearhead our next phase of growth."
"I would like to thank Anne-Laure for her outstanding contributions she has made to PUMA’s business over the past years, especially when it comes to successfully establishing and executing PUMA’s sustainability strategy, which earned PUMA international recognition and awards in this space. I look forward to continuing to work with her as our external advisor in the field of sustainability”.
Football legend and former Netherlands National Team captain Ruud Gullit has signed on as the first ambassador for global footwear brand Skechers in the Benelux region.
Named World Soccer Player of the Year twice and known as a “Total Footballer,” Gullit will be featured in multi-platform marketing for Skechers’ footwear and apparel collections, including Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins® as his first campaign.
"I've always had a love for stylish shoes. My time playing football in Italy only enhanced that, and the look and feel of Skechers continues to impress me," Ruud Gullit said. "I've thoroughly studied their shoes and visited several stores before engaging with the brand. The versatility of their range immediately appealed to me—especially the comfort, convenience and style of Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins. There's something for everyone, as I like to say. Whether I'm doing analysis on television, working out, playing golf, or attending a more formal event, Skechers offers appropriate shoes for every occasion."
"Ruud Gullit is the ideal choice for Skechers because of his charisma, enthusiasm and humor,” said Maurice van Berkel, Country Manager, Skechers USA Benelux B.V. "As a football legend who has made significant contributions to Dutch and European football, Ruud has an instant connection with fans across the region. We are excited to embark on this journey together beginning with our new Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins campaign, reaching new heights, and enhancing his role in our dynamic and ambitious brand growth."
In addition to Gullit, Skechers features former footballers in its lifestyle advertising across Europe including Jamie Redknapp, Frank Lebœuf, and Fabio Cannavaro. The brand also has a roster of premier league football stars currently competing in Skechers boots on the pitch including Harry Kane, Mohammed Kudus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Anthony Elanga.
MAC Cosmetics announced on this week the appointment of Emily Bromfield to the role of Senior Vice president, Global marketing, August 26.
In this role, Bromfield will report directly to Aïda Moudachirou-Rébois, SVP and Global General Manager of M.A.C Cosmetics, overseeing the brand's global marketing strategies across all categories and channels for the Estée Lauder-owned company.
Bromfield will focus on expanding M.A.C's global presence and appeal in both established and emerging markets. She will lead initiatives in compelling storytelling, product innovation, and immersive experiences to strengthen the brand’s positioning and elevate consumer engagement. Additionally, she will serve as a key global partner to all M.A.C regions and affiliates.
A seasoned beauty industry professional, Bromfield has experience with both emerging brands and major beauty companies, including a tenure at the French conglomerate L'Oréal . She comes to M.A.C from the prestige skincare brand Dr. Barbara Sturm , where she served as Chief Marketing Officer and Managing Director. Before that, Bromfield played a key role as part of the founding team at Charlotte Tilbury Beauty , where she helped shape the brand's market strategy, positioning, and social media presence.
"We are thrilled to welcome Emily Bromfield to the M•A•C family as our Senior Vice President, Global Marketing," said Moudachirou-Rébois."Emily's proven track record of building brands and driving breakthrough consumer-led marketing strategies will be invaluable to our team. With her extensive experience and innovative mindset, we are confident that together, we will achieve remarkable milestones for M.A.C.
J.LINDEBERG has appointed Alexander Diedrich as its new Head of e-commerce, effective 1 September, with the aim of “elevating and executing the brand’s ambitious digital strategy”.
In his new role, Diedrich brings extensive international experience that will be key in driving innovation, accelerating the brand’s digital growth, and strengthening its global e-commerce strategy.
He has an impressive track record and most recently held the role of Head of E-commerce North Europe at Levi Strauss & Co. Prior to this, he was Head of E-commerce EMEA for TOMS and EMEA E-commerce Manager at Under Armour . In these roles, he successfully managed sales, marketing and merchandising initiatives.
Diedrich will be relocating from Amsterdam to Stockholm to join the team at the J.Lindeberg headquarters.
Alexander Diedrich said: "I’m very humbled by the opportunity to join one of Scandinavia's most iconic sport fashion brands and help fuel the growth of global eCommerce. I want to thank Kalle Kickuth and Hans-Christian Meyer for their trust in me. I’m excited to continue delivering a first-class digital brand experience with the global eCommerce team and the entire organization. I’m thrilled to apply my leadership background within the international sports, apparel, and footwear industry to this new, exciting role."
Kalle Kickuth, Chief Sales Officer at J.Lindeberg, added: "I'm so excited to have Alexander joining us at J.Lindeberg. With his broad and impressive international experience from senior roles at global brands within Sports & Lifestyle, I’m confident he will contribute significantly to our success in digital sales across e-commerce and retail moving forward. This is an exciting time for the company, and I can’t wait to see how Alexander, together with his talented team, will elevate our digital consumer experience worldwide."
Founded in Stockholm in 1996, J.Lindeberg was "born out of an idea to inject style and energy to golf by changing how players all over the world dress on and off the course".