Senior Vice President of Direct-To-Consumer

Portland, OR, U.S.A. ■ May 2013 – October 2016

Annual Sales: $650M ■ Region: North America + Europe

Channels: Digital EComm + 125 Direct Stores, Full Price & Factory Outlet

Brands: Columbia Sportswear, Sorel, Mountain Hardwear

Responsibilities and Key Accomplishments

Defined the vision, effectively communicated the strategy, and executed the tactics that drove top-line sales increases, gross margin improvements, cost reductions, and EBIT growth, resulting in dramatic performance improvements, return on investment, and credit from investors on the stock price.

Channel Management and Optimization

• Responsibility for full P&L accountability for the Columbia Sportswear direct-to-consumer business within North America and Europe.

• Managed all strategic and operational functions for the brink & mortar business, including retail development, field & store operations, planning & inventory management, buying & merchandising, marketing, and visual merchandising.

• Managed all strategic and operational functions for the digital e-commerce business, including site experience, site operations, planning, merchandising, digital marketing, e-fulfillment and digital marketplace.

Consumer Experience

• Developed a new omnichannel consumer journey experience map to serve as the foundation of an experiential platform supported by a strategic systems plan and investment decisions linked to brand awareness, consideration, purchase, loyalty, and lifetime value.

• Dramatically improved the online user experience by designing and developing two new branded e-commerce websites for Columbia Sportswear and Mountain Hardwear, including implementing a new operating system to serve as a digital platform for site operations.

• Dramatically improved the in-store consumer experience by managing the development and successful implementation of new differentiated store concept environments for Columbia Sportswear and Mountain Hardwear brands.

International Market Development • Successfully managed the international retail expansion initiative by rolling out and optimizing full-price and factory outlet store operating models, thus enabling the company to achieve financial goals and increase its international presence.

• Developed new store concepts for Columbia and MHW while opening over 50 new directly operated stores, including New York, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, and Minneapolis.

• Managed store opening processes, including location search/selection, feasibility analysis, lease negotiation, store design, product assortments, build-out critical path, staff recruitment, training, operational set-up, local marketing activities, and visual merchandising.

Operational Best Practice • Revamped and significantly improved multiple end-to-end processes following “best practice” guidelines that included planning, reporting, performance benchmarking, inventory management, and financial controlling.

• Established an integrated merchandising strategy by revamping the entire product offer and go-to-market tactics for all channels linked to consumer profiles focusing on merchandise lifecycles, intelligent assortments, right pricing, intake flow, rapid replenishment, and promotional cadence while ensuring consistent execution and alignment across all brand touch points.

Global Chief Retail Officer

London, U.K. ■ January 2007 – March 2009

Annual Sales: $350M ■ Region: Global

Channels: 350 Direct Stores + 700 Franchise Stores, Full Price & Factory Outlet

Responsibilities and Key Accomplishments

Created and implemented integrated regional strategies that delivered the “vision for Samsonite retail” in the worldwide marketplace that drove top-line sales increases, gross margin improvements, cost reductions, and EBITDA growth.

Channel Management and Optimization

• Held full P&L global accountability for retail and commercial activities across all distribution channels (full-price retail, factory outlets, store concessions, and airport duty-free) in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

• Managed all strategic and operational functions for the direct-to-consumer business, including retail development, field and store operations, planning, buying & merchandising, marketing, visual merchandising, and human resources.

• Operated within a matrix structure in 40 countries while overseeing the global business restructuring that involved turning five independent business units into a strategically aligned, results-oriented team.

International Market Development

• Successfully managed the international market expansion initiative by rolling out and optimizing the full-price and factory outlet retail concepts, thus enabling the company to achieve financial goals and increase global presence.

• Analyzed international markets, determined entry strategies by country, identified local ownership models, and created the organizational structure to provide a platform for profitable retail growth.

• Developed new branded store concepts for Samsonite Black Label and Samsonite Classic. Over 150 directly operated and franchise points-of-sale locations opened, including New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, London, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore, Moscow, and Istanbul.

• Managed store opening processes, including location search/selection, lease negotiation, store design, build-out, staff recruitment, training, operational set-up, local marketing activities, and visual merchandising.

Operational Best Practice

• Revamped multiple business processes and implemented performance benchmarking following best practices to ensure stores were operated efficiently, consistently, and profitably.

• Dramatically improved the consumer experience and store environment by introducing a new consumer-centric service model, KPI-based incentive schemes, enhanced visual merchandising standards, improved product assortments, and conversion-focused operational activities.

Vice President of European Retail and Wholesale Export

Amsterdam, The Netherlands ■ January 2000 – December 2006

Annual Sales: $325M ■ Region: Europe + Middle East + India

Channels: 60 Direct Stores + 90 Franchise Stores; Full Price & Factory Outlet

Responsibilities and Key Accomplishments

Provided strong leadership while engaging and mobilizing all parts of the Tommy Hilfiger organization to establish and rapidly grow branded retail as a profitable new distribution channel in Europe.

Channel Management and Optimization

• Responsibility for full P&L accountability of all directly operated retail stores in Europe and wholesale commercial activities for distributor and franchise partners across 25 countries in Russia, Turkey, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and India.

• Managed all strategic and operational functions for the direct-to-consumer business, including retail development, field and store operations, financial planning, buying & merchandising, marketing, visual merchandising, and human resources.

• Managed all go-to-market activities and seasonal wholesale campaigns for 7 product divisions while overseeing commercial relationships with licensees, distributors, agents, franchise partners, and wholesale customers.

International Market Development

• Analyzed channels, and qualified opportunities, identified distribution partners, and made investment cases to launch Tommy Hilfiger in new markets, including Russia, Turkey, Eastern Europe, India, and the Middle East.

• Identified business model to maximize profitability, emphasizing direct, joint venture, and franchising by selecting the appropriate combination based on individual geographies with corresponding regulatory, financial, and market realities.

• Developed new store concepts and opened over 150 directly operated and franchise points-of-sale locations in Berlin, Köln, Munich, Hamburg, Zurich, London, Madrid, Barcelona, Moscow, Athens, Istanbul, Mumbai, and Dubai.

• Managed store opening processes, including location search/selection, lease negotiation, store design, build-out, staff recruitment, training, operational set-up, local marketing activities, and visual merchandising.

Operational Best Practice • Developed “best practice” for policies, procedures, and guidelines in all functional areas of operations and development required to support rapid growth and ensure that stores were operated efficiently, consistently, and profitably.

• Implemented a new SAP Retail operating platform and ePOS system supporting the directly operated stores.

Strategic Advisor and Interim Senior Vice President Retail Consumer Experience

Milwaukee, WI. ■ January 2019 – June 2019

Responsibilities and Key Accomplishments

Designed and developed the multi-channel digital strategy of the future with a new end-to-end consumer experience strategy and connected eco-system for the entire Harley-Davidson organization.

Future Experience Strategy

Develop transformative strategies for a seamless consumer experience and sales engagement model connecting all brand touch points, including dealership stores, digital platforms, and licensee partners.

Future Digital E-Comm Strategy

Develop digital user experience and e-commerce strategies for all global websites and marketplaces, including designing a new H-D.com website and implementing a new digital operating platform.

Future Digital Marketing Strategy

Develop digital user experience and marketing strategies for all global websites and marketplaces, including designing a new H-D.com website and implementing a new digital operating platform.

Future Product Strategy

Create the go-to-market strategy and oversee the execution of all motorcycle apparel, accessories, and footwear products, including design, development, planning, sourcing, licensing, wholesale, retail, and marketing functional areas.

Dealership Store of the Future

Design and develop new store concepts and supporting operating models, including environment, products, sales, service model, visual merchandising, experience design, and retention programs.

Senior Vice President of Direct-To-Consumer

Portland, OR, U.S.A. ■ May 2013 – October 2016

Annual Sales: $55M ■ Region: North America + Europe

Channels: Digital EComm + Branded Stores & Factory Outlets

Responsibilities and Key Accomplishments

Defined the vision, effectively communicated the strategy, and executed the tactics that drove top-line sales increases, gross margin improvements, cost reductions, and EBIT growth, resulting in dramatic performance improvements.

Channel Management and Optimization

• Responsibility with full P&L accountability for the Sorel direct-to-consumer business within North America and Europe.

• Managed all strategic and operational functions for the brink & mortar business, including retail development, field & store operations, planning & inventory management, buying & merchandising, marketing, and visual merchandising.

• Managed all strategic and operational functions for the digital e-commerce business, including site experience, site operations, planning, merchandising, digital marketing, e-fulfillment, and digital marketplace.

Consumer Experience

• Developed a new omnichannel consumer journey experience map to serve as the foundation of an experiential platform supported by a strategic systems plan and investment decisions linked to brand awareness, consideration, purchase, loyalty, and lifetime value.

• Improved the online user experience by designing and developing the new branded e-commerce websites for Sorel, including implementing a new operating system to serve as a digital platform for site operations.

• Improved the in-store consumer experience by managing the development and successful implementation of a new differentiated branded store environment and service structure.

International Market Development

• Successfully managed the international retail expansion initiative by rolling out and optimizing full-price and factory outlet store operating models, thus enabling the company to achieve financial goals and increase international presence.

• Developed store concept and opened directly operated stores in New York, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, and Minneapolis.

• Managed store opening processes, including location search/selection, feasibility analysis, lease negotiation, store design, product assortments, build-out critical path, staff recruitment, training, operational set-up, local marketing activities, and visual merchandising.

Operational Best Practice

• Revamped and significantly improved multiple end-to-end processes following “best practice” guidelines, including planning, reporting, performance benchmarking, inventory management, and financial control.

• Established an integrated merchandising strategy by revamping the entire product offer and go-to-market tactics for all channels linked to consumer profiles focusing on merchandise lifecycles, intelligent assortments, right pricing, intake flow, rapid replenishment, and promotional cadence while ensuring consistent execution and alignment across all brand touch points.

Sales Manager and European Brand Manager

New York, NY, USA; Paris, France; London, UK ■ January 1989 – December 1994

Annual Sales: $30M ■ Brand Manager Region: Europe

Channels: Branded Stores, Franchise Stores, Department Stores, Specialty Retail

Responsibilities and Key Accomplishments

Launched the Ralph Lauren Home Collection in Europe by negotiating new licensing agreements, establishing departments within branded retail stores, opening shop-in-shops within best-in-market department stores, and rapidly expanding other multi-brand distribution channels.

Channel Management and Optimization

• Responsible for the market launch and wholesale distribution of the Ralph Lauren Home Collection within Europe in directly operated stores, franchise stores, department stores, and specialty stores for numerous product categories, including furniture, fabric, wallpaper, bedding, bath, and tabletop.

• Responsible for all go-to-market wholesale activities, including management of sales teams, agents, and distributors, while overseeing commercial relationships with licensees, distributors, agents, franchise partners, and wholesale customers.

• Managed all retail operations, marketing, planning, buying, and merchandising functions for the Home Collection within directly operated Ralph Lauren stores.

International Market Development

• Successfully launched the Ralph Lauren Home Collection in the European marketplace by negotiating and opening new shop-in-shop locations within important department store partners, including Harvey Nichols, Harrods, Selfridges, Liberty, Galleries Lafayette, Printemps, and El Corte Ingles.

• Identified, analyzed, qualified opportunities, and negotiated license distribution agreements with potential local European partners, including Waterford & Wedgwood, Designers Guild, JP Stevens, and George Smith Furniture.

• Launched and managed the Home Collection in direct and franchise store locations, including London, Paris, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Geneva, Madrid, Barcelona, Stockholm, Moscow, Athens, and Istanbul.

Global Vice President of Retail and Regional Wholesale

Amsterdam, The Netherlands ■ April 2009 – April 2013

Annual Sales: €350M ■ Region: Europe + Asia + Middle East + India + South America

Channels: 200 Direct Stores + 300 Franchise Stores; Full Price & Factory Outlet

Responsibilities and Key Accomplishments

Provided strong leadership while engaging and mobilizing all parts of the organization in pursuit of leading innovative turnaround efforts that resulted in dramatic increases in sales and profitability for the Mexx retail business.

Channel Management and Optimization

• P&L responsibility with full accountability for 200 directly operated retail stores within Europe and wholesale export distribution channels (distributors, franchises, department stores, specialty) across 54 countries with 300 points-of-sale.

• Managed all strategic and operational functions for the direct-to-consumer business, including retail development, field & store operations, financial planning, buying & merchandising, marketing, visual merchandising, and human resources.

• Managed all go-to-market activities and seasonal wholesale campaigns for 6 product divisions while overseeing commercial relationships with licensees, distributors, agents, franchise partners, and wholesale customers.

International Market Development

• Created go-to-market brand development and market expansion strategic plans, identified optimal business models, negotiated distribution and franchise agreements with new partners, and built the organizational salesforce structure to grow the international business profitably.

• Developed new store concepts and opened over 150 directly operated and franchise points-of-sale locations in Berlin, Köln, Munich, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Brussels, London, Madrid, Barcelona, Moscow, and St. Petersburg.

• Managed store opening processes, including location search/selection, lease negotiation, store design, build-out, staff recruitment, training, operational set-up, local marketing activities, and visual merchandising.

Operational Best Practice

• Revamped and significantly improved multiple business processes and policies following “best practice” guidelines, including merchandising planning, reporting with performance benchmarking, labor management, inventory management, and financial controlling.

• Introduced a new workforce management system linked with sales productivity in all stores, including implementing a new conversion-focused bonus scheme and new employee scheduling system that enabled more intelligent management of staff coverage.