Shortly after Mizuno's takeover of the distribution of its products in Italy, Asics officials report that they have taken full ownership of their Italian subsidiary. Franco Arese, who brought Asics to Italy in 1982 as its distributor, has sold his remaining minority stake in Asics Italia. Aged 68, he is set to retire as president of the subsidiary by April 2013. He will also retire as chairman of the board at Asics Europe, a role he has held for the last two years.
Arese's retirement will give Asics an opportunity to implement a new geo-marketing approach, forming a strengthened European management structure where five regional directors will directly report to Alistair Cameron, chief executive of Asics Europe. Based on this new approach, central sales, product and marketing functions will be closely integrated with regional sales management teams, generating efficiencies at the European level in tune with what happens directly in the market.
Luca Bacherotti, currently acting general manager of Levi Strauss Italia, will be part of this new structure. He has been appointed commercial director of Asics Italia, with effect from the middle of February. With Arese acting as his personal adviser until his own retirement, Bacherotti will gradually advance into the position of managing director of the company.
On a regional basis, Asics Italia will continue to be responsible for the distribution of Asics products in the Balkans and in Malta. Likewise, Asics France is also in charge of Iberia. The Dutch subsidiary handles the Benelux and Scandinavian countries, and the German sales office takes care of Austria and Switzerland as well as Poland, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. The British office covers the U.K. and Ireland. Aside from the Italian office, there is no change in management for these regions.
Asics credits Arese with developing Asics Italia into one of its most successful businesses in Europe, with the highest brand awareness and the most balanced product portfolio of performance products, teamwear and clothing, as well as a high share of lifestyle items. A strong personality, Arese is well known in the Italian sports community, ever since he won a gold medal running in the 1971 European Athletic Championships. He has been president of the Italian Athletics Federation and held important functions in the European Athletics Federation.
