The weak results prompted the group to introduce a new, category-led organizational structure with new managers in the EMEA region for Running, Core performance sports and Sport style. The management hopes this will also create greater alignment and efficiency through a more consolidated commercial structure.
The new European category organization will combine the product, marketing, and merchandising functions. They will all be led by Gary Raucher, who will join the company on March 1. The new commercial organization will combine the planning, buying, and sales functions for both wholesale and DTC, and will be led by Scott Wakefield, who previously led the DTC business within Asics.
Robert Vermin will continue in his role as chief administrative officer, and Melinda Brooks Bray will continue in her role as vice president of human resources. All four will report directly to Alistair Cameron, chief executive of Asics EMEA.
As senior general manager for Asics' geographical strategy division, Cameron has also appointed a new CEO for the Asics America Group, which also includes Latin America. Koichiro Kodama is replacing Gene McCarthy as CEO of Asics America after four years in the post. Kodama had joined the organization one year ago as vice president of corporate strategy.
As in Europe, Asics is implementing a new category structure in the Americas, separating Performance Running from Core Performance Sports Style. It has also appointed new managers in charge of sales, categories, marketing, operations and finance.
The management said these changes will allow the company to drive category-specific strategies and take a more holistic view of the market. They are in line with a major reorganization that had been announced by the group in August, when it updated its five-year plan, calling also for increased investments in China and in digital sales (SGI Europe Vol. 29 N° 25+26 of Aug. 7, 2018). The company also plans to increase advertising expenses by ¥5 billion (€40.0m-$45.2m) as compared to last year.
