Under Armour appoints Stephanie Pugliese as president for North America

By

Robin Driver

Published
Sep 5, 2019

Baltimore-based sportswear company Under Armour, Inc. announced on Thursday that it has appointed 25-year industry veteran Stephanie Pugliese as the new president of its North American business, effective September 16, 2019.

As she leads Under Armour’s operations in North America in her new role, Pugliese will report to the company’s president and COO Patrik Frisk.
 
She joins Under Armour from Duluth Trading Company, where she most recently served as president and CEO. Prior to this, she held the roles of SVP, chief merchandising and marketing officer, and VP for product merchandising and creative at the same company, which she first joined in 2008.

The graduate of NYU’s Stern School of Business also boasts three years spent at Lands’ End and ten years of experience at Ann Taylor, where she served as VP for merchandising from 1993 to 2003.
 
“We are thrilled to have Stephanie join Under Armour as President of our North American business," said Frisk in a release. “Her demonstrated record of leadership and retail expertise significantly strengthens our ability to further amplify Under Armour as the preeminent athletic performance brand in our home market.”
 
Frisk also reiterated Under Armour’s current objectives in North America, outlining three main points. First and foremost, the company is focusing on premium, full-price distribution in the region, in order to ensure its brand’s continued value, with Frisk also highlighting efforts to achieve a deepened connection with consumers, as well as the company’s prioritization of operational efficiency.
 
When Pugliese steps into her new functions, she will no doubt be expected to turn the brand’s fortunes around on its domestic (and largest) market. As the sportswear industry has become more competitive, Under Armour has been struggling to stand out from the crowd and hold its own against long-time rivals Nike and Adidas in North America.
 
The company posted a 3% decrease in revenues in the region in the second quarter, while international revenues rose 12%. In light of these results, Under Armour reduced its full-year guidance for North American revenues and now expects them to post a slight decline, rather than remain flat, as had been previously reported.