New Balance has appointed Ger Wright as vice president sales EMEA, recruiting the former Frasers Group sports division leader to drive the brand’s ambitious European expansion plans and build on recent commercial momentum.
Ger Wright, who departed Frasers Group in 2025 after three years leading its sports division, announced her appointment via LinkedIn on Jan. 8, signaling New Balance’s intent to accelerate growth across European markets.
“I’m energized to be back in a brand leadership role, working alongside the team to capitalize on the momentum New Balance is creating and to take our EMEA business to new heights, realizing New Balance’s amazing ambitions,” Wright wrote in her announcement.
Why this move matters
Wright’s appointment represents a significant hire for New Balance as the Boston-based brand continues its European expansion. Her track record of retail expansion at Frasers Group – including the acquisition of Dutch retailers Twin Sport, Sprinter, Aktiesport and Perry Sport – demonstrates the operational expertise New Balance seeks for its EMEA growth strategy.
The timing coincides with New Balance’s broader momentum: the brand has gained market share in performance running and lifestyle categories, with particularly strong growth in European markets where it competes against Nike, Adidas and Asics.
Ger Wright: deep retail and brand experience
Wright brings dual-sided industry experience from both brand and retail operations. She spent nearly 15 years at Nike in various leadership positions before joining Frasers Group in 2022 as chief executive of its sports division.
During her tenure at Frasers, Wright oversaw the expansion of Sports World in the Benelux region and managed the integration of multiple retail acquisitions. Her experience navigating wholesale relationships from the retail side provides New Balance with strategic intelligence on channel dynamics and distribution strategy.
Wright also developed a personal connection to the New Balance brand, running the London Marathon in 2025 with company support. “Having worked with New Balance in recent years, and run the London Marathon with them last year, I truly fell in love with the brand’s culture, product and team,” she noted in her announcement.
New Balance: strategic context
New Balance has been investing in European operations as part of a global growth strategy. The brand’s EMEA region represents a critical growth opportunity, particularly in markets like the UK, Germany and France where running and lifestyle footwear categories continue to expand.
Wright’s appointment follows New Balance’s pattern of recruiting experienced executives from competitors and retail partners. Her hybrid background – understanding both brand strategy and retail operations – positions her to optimize New Balance’s multi-channel approach across wholesale, franchise and direct-to-consumer channels in EMEA.
The VP Sales EMEA role places Wright at the center of New Balance’s European commercial strategy, overseeing relationships with major retail partners, managing regional sales teams, and driving revenue growth across the territory.
About Ger Wright
Ger Wright is a sports industry executive with more than 15 years of leadership experience across brand and retail operations. She began her career at Nike, where she held multiple senior positions over nearly 15 years. In 2022, she joined Frasers Group as chief executive of its sports division, parent company of Sports World, where she led retail expansion in the Benelux and oversaw strategic acquisitions including Twin Sport and the Sprinter, Aktiesport and Perry Sport retail networks.
