RETAIL & DISTRIBUTION
+++ Julbo is parting ways with Esportiva Aksa, its longtime partner in the Spanish market, and taking over distribution in the country, for which Brian Sánchez Vigara, former sales manager at Tommy Hilfiger, has been newly hired as country manager for Spain as well as international area manager for South America and Eastern Europe, and Roger Puig Ventura, a former semi-professional cyclist who most recently represented the Salewa brand for the Oberalp Group, as account manager for Catalonia +++
CSR & SUSTAINABILITY
+++ The entire new collection from German head- and neckwear specialist H.A.D. is made from 100 percent recycled, abrasion-resistant Powerstretch fiber without microfibers, which greatly benefits the product’s longevity and prevents microplastic pollution +++
RETAIL & DISTRIBUTION
+++ After being forced to temporarily close its store at Genting ski resort during the Beijing Winter Olympics, The North Face has teamed up with advertising agency Fred & Farid Shanghai to open “The Coldest Pop-up Store” in the Changbai Mountains, a region near the North Korean border popular with Chinese ski tourists +++
PRODUCT & MARKETING
+++ Czech world-class sport climber Adam Ondra is now a member of the Mammut Climbing Team, which also includes Jakob Schubert (Austria), Madeleine Cope (U.K.) and Katherine Choong (Switzerland)
+++ Columbia Sportswear has launched a new outdoor activewear special collection in collaboration with NASCAR Cup Series driver and brand ambassador Bubba Wallace, available now in the U.S. at columbia.com and select Columbia stores
+++ Ups and Downs, a film produced and managed by Salomon freeski athlete Drew Petersen that chronicles Petersen’s personal story through the peaks and valleys of PTSD, bipolar disorder, brain injuries, depression and struggles with suicidal thoughts, is now playing on Salomon TV and YouTube
+++ Canada Goose announced a collaboration with footwear designer Salehe Bembury as part of the Canadian brand’s partnership with the National Basketball Association and its annual All-Star celebration
+++ Swiss eco-wear company Nikin has its first ambassador: Freeskier Andri Ragettli (X-Games medal winner and multiple Worldcup winner) is first on the brand’s athlete roster and promotes the Nikin x Andri Ragettli collection that was launched in mid-January +++
EXECUTIVE CHANGES
+++ Canadian Tire Corporation announced that Maureen Sabia will retire as chairman and from the board of directors following the company’s annual meeting of shareholders on May 12 and that she will be succeeded by J. Michael Owens, who will also be re-elected as a director at the same meeting
+++ Clarus Corporation, parent company of Black Diamond, Rhino-Rack, Maxtrax, Sierra and Barnes, appointed James Walker III, an experienced investment manager, to its board of directors
+++ Ruffwear, a U.S. manufacturer of outdoor gear for dogs, announced that Brandan Hill, former director of product development, has been named the new president, following the resignation of Will Blount, who had served in that role for 20 years +++
+++ Tobias Lütke, CEO and founder of e-commerce platform Shopify, is joining cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase’s board of directors +++
CORPORATE AND M&A
+++ Accell Group announced that Francesca Gamboni, who took up her position as the company’s chief supply chain officer on Feb. 1, received 10,000 performance shares in the group on the condition that she remains with the company for three years, “as a sign-on award for partial compensation of the loss of the performance shares at her previous employer,” automaker and provider of innovative mobility solutions, Stellantis
+++ U.S. company Pure Fishing Inc., announced the acquisition of Svendsen Sport, a Danish supplier of fishing tackle and owner of the Savage Gear, Prologic, MadCat, WaterWolf and DAM brands
+++ While Calida Group is divesting its last outdoor brands under the umbrella of Millet Mountain Group, it is strengthening (as announced in its Accelerate 2026 strategy) its underwear portfolio by acquiring the young sustainable lingerie brand Erlich Textil from Germany (sales: €7 million in 2021) +++
DTC & E-COMMERCE
+++ Bicycle and cycling components manufacturer Specialized announced it will offer DTC online sales options for its bicycles in Spain and the U.S. +++
Click here to access the last weeks’ Short Stops.
