Deckers Brands appoints Stefan Bernard as Vice-President EMEA of Performance division

By

Matthieu Guinebault

Translated by
Nicola Mira

Published
Apr 3, 2017

Currently under pressure by its shareholders, some of whom are asking to consider a divestment, the Deckers Brands group has appointed Stefan Bernard as Vice-President EMEA of the Performance division.

The US footwear and outdoor apparel group's new VP has been tasked with positioning the Hoka One One running brand and outdoor label Teva "among the leaders in their respective segments." Bernard will be in charge of strategy and operations for sales and marketing in the countries of the EMEA region.

Stefan Bernard has worked notably for Apple, Hewlett Packard and Garmin, specialising in brand positioning on the running and lifestyle markets.

In the third quarter, closed at the end of December, Deckers Brands posted a 4.5% decline in sales, down to $760 million (-3.7% at constant exchange rates). The group's best-selling label, UGG, recorded in the same period a revenue of $704 million, equivalent to a 5.3% decrease. Teva and Hoka One One have instead stepped on the gas, growing by 3.9% and 18.3% respectively. The Deckers Brands group operates 138 directly owned stores, and is present in department and specialised stores in about fifty countries worldwide.