John Zopfi has been appointed as global sales director at Klättermusen, the Swedish outdoor brand, from the start of this year. The recruitment could be regarded as part of the brand's strategy to expand its distribution under the ownership of Scope, a private equity firm that bought a majority stake in Klättermusen in 2013.
Zopfi previously set up his own consultancy, Zopfi Sustainable Business Development, based in the Netherlands and working with companies such as Houdini, Lundhags, Yurbuds, Tilley – and Klättermusen. While Zopfi will commute between the Netherlands and the Swedish ski resort of Åre, where Klättermusen is based, the consultancy is now run by Zopfi's cousin and business partner, Rob Zopfi. John Zopfi previously spent more than eight years at Patagonia, as northern European sales manager and export manager for Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
Johan Nordqvist, Klättermusen's chief executive since May, explained last summer that the company was adjusting its range and investing in marketing to scale up its distribution in the coming years. It wants to become a global player in the premium outdoor industry, based on its assets in terms of product development and sustainability. Zopfi's focus is to lead the sales team in the Nordics, where the brand is already established, and to widen its international network. The German-speaking markets, Alpine countries, the Benelux countries, the U.K. and Asian markets are all delivering strong growth for the brand.
