You are in:
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
New CEO for Odlo
CEO Patrik Wettstein and Odlo have reportedly gone their separate ways because of different ideas about the company's future strategic direction. The new CEO is the old one: Odd Lofterod. The head of the supervisory board and the son of the brand founder takes over again the operative business.
Atomic and Salomon have the same boss in Switzerland
Bruno Rüdisüli, Country Manager of the Amer-office in Switzerland since its foundation in summer 2005, will be also responsible for the business of the Atomic-affiliated company Salomon from January. The present Finance Director of Salomon Switzerland, Kai Uellendahl, takes tover the complete back office of both companies. Andi Balz, until now responsible for Salomon in Switzerland, remains the company in the position of a Director.
Karihtala away again: Juvonen should reconstruct Exel
Olli E. Juvonen is the new General Manager of Exel Sports Oy. He is the successor of Aki Karihtala who was appointed as CEO on March 1, 2007 and worked for the company already 20 years. Juvonen is specialized on reconstructing companies und disposes of 20 years experience in this domain. Lately he worked for the Teamware Group since the beginning of 2005, which produces the software. According to Exel, the reasons for the change are the continuing poor sales and the difficulties of the production outsourcing to China.
New Wave Group: Larsson moves up at Craft’s
Hans Larsson (45) has taken over as Managing Director at the Swedish sportswear supplier Craft. Before he was Sales Manager for Sweden at the same company. His predecessor is Jens Petersson who moves up after eight years at the parent company, the New Wave Group, to the Business Area Manager for Consumer Division.
The company has also started its winter season 2008/09 with a skiwear collection. The company promises “a new level of function and performance”. The collection offers special function wear, warmth clothing, wind and waterproof Gore-Tex-parts and accessories. Hip is mobility with a good body climate and excellent weather safety. The target group are runners and ambitious skiers who expect from their equipment the maximal performance.
Amer: New direction for hardware and soft goods
The Finnish Amer Sports Corporation (Helsinki) decided new management structures and a more compact organisation in the units winter sports hardware and soft goods. Kari Kauniskangas, who took over recently the direction of the business unit winter & outdoor, will leave the company by end of the year. Salomon-president Jean-Luc Diard has already left.
Michael Schineis, so far Atomic-president, is responsible for the entire winter sports equipment. This new created management position unifies the corresponding business units of Atomic and Salomon under a neutral boss. The 48-year-old reports directly to Roger Talermo. To the president and CEO of Amer Sports reports also Jean-Marc Pambet (so far responsible at Salomon’s as General Manager for apparel & footwear). Now he is in charge of the entire soft goods unit (including Arc’teryx) and should give it an own dynamic.
Black Diamond offers free ride snow shoes
The US-American climbing and outdoor supplier Black Diamond (Salt Lake City, Utah) offers for the first time snow shoes in the season autumn/winter 2008. “The free ride snow shoes are the biggest, most expensive and most complex development project that Black Diamond ever started”, declares Europe-boss Christian Jaeggi (Reinach/Switzerland).
Black Diamond offered originally climbing hardware and enlarged its range step by step with rucksacks, poles, headlamps and skis. Now the company focalises ski shoes for alpinists who want to ski on every kind of terrain. All new products, which should guarantee top efficiency, show technical solutions for an individual fit.
Mammut: Underwear collection
The Suisse mountaineering specialist Mammut (Seon) enlarged its programme (among others Raichle and Toko) for the first time with alpine underwear. This concept is called “Symbios”, combines merino wool and microfibres and is tuned especially to alpine needs. For women and men is offered a collection of seven parts (in five colours) consisting of zip long sleeve, long sleeve, t-shirt, long pants, boxers and briefs.
