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HAPPENINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES
MILTON CARDOSO LEAVES
VULCABRAS AZALÉIA
Brazilian footwear brand Vulcabras
Azaléia has confirmed a change in
leadership. Chief executive, Milton
Cardoso, stepped down from his
position at the end of August for
personal reasons. Pedro Grendene
Bartelle, the company’s founder, has
taken up the role. Mr Cardoso is also
president of the Brazilian footwear
association, Abicalçados.
Vulcabras Azaléia claims to be the
third biggest footwear manufacturing
group in the world, but speculation in
Brazilian media suggests recent
financial difficulties have sparked
internal disagreements. In 2011, the
group closed six factories in the
Brazilian states of Rio Grande do Sul
and Bahia, laying off a total of almost
900 workers in the process.
GEOX NAMES NEW CHIEF
EXECUTIVE
Italian footwear brand Geox has
appointed a new chief executive, in a
management shake-up aimed at
boosting expansion in Asia to offset
weaker sales in western markets.
Giorgio Presca has been promoted
from head of marketing and product
development, “to further develop and
implement the strategy of the
chairman and founder Mario Moretti
Polegato”, according to the breathable
shoe manufacturer.
The board thanked outgoing CEO
Diego Bolzonello, who has been with
the company since its launch in 1995,
for his contribution during his tenure.
Geox reported declining sales and
profits in Europe and the US during
the first half of this year.
Dr Polegato is pushing Geox into
emerging markets to limit exposure to
recession-hit Italy, which accounts for
36% of sales. The company said it will
open shops in Russia, Eastern Europe
and Asia this year.
UK’S BIGGEST FOOTWEAR
MANUFACTURER WELCOMES
ROYAL VISITOR
Staff at Hotter Comfort Concept
welcomed The Countess of Wessex to
their factory in Lancashire, UK,
where she took a tour and met long-
serving staff.
The CEO of the rapidly growing
company said it is “fiercely proud” of
its British heritage and that it “invests
and reinvests in development and new
technology to continually improve”.
The company, which makes one in
every three pairs of shoes made in the
UK, has opened 35 stores in the past
two years.
“We were delighted to welcome our
royal visitor and show her the passion
and pride of our very British brand,”
said Stewart Houlgrave, Hotter’s
founder and CEO. “The Countess was
a wonderfully charming guest, who
was genuinely interested in what we
were doing and took time to speak
with many of our staff, immediately
putting them at ease.”
JONES GROUP APPOINTS
HEAD OF FOOTWEAR AND
ACCESSORIES
The Jones Group, which owns 35
brands including footwear retailers
Brian Atwood and Kurt Geiger, has
appointed a new head of global
footwear and accessories.
Kathy Nedorostek joins the group
from luxury retailer Coach, and will
oversee the expansion of footwear,
handbags and jewellery.
“Footwear and accessories are core
strategic pillars and growing segments
of The Jones Group business, and we
are thrilled to add Kathy’s premier
brand leadership to support and direct
our development in these categories,”
said Richard Dickson, chief executive
of branded businesses at Jones.
Ms Nedorostek previously served as
president of North America wholesale
and global licensing for Coach, where
she drove significant market share
gains in North American department
stores for handbags and accessories,
according to the company
GROWTH LEADS TO NEW
LECTRA APPOINTMENTS
Footwear materials cutting
technology provider Lectra has
appointed Peer Wiesner as its new
marketing director for Germany and
eastern Europe.
Based in Munich, and reporting to
Alexander Neuss, managing director
for the region, the company said Peer
Wiesner would drive awareness of its
solutions in the fashion, as well as in
automotive and furniture sectors.
“This complex region, spanning 24
countries and 16 languages, is one of
the main drivers of our European
activities, with revenue growth of 11%
last year,” said chief executive, Daniel
Harari, on making the announcement.
Soon afterwards, the company
announced the appointment of Tania
Garcia as its new marketing vice-
president for the Americas.
Reporting to Roy Shurling, president
of Lectra North America, Tania Garcia
will be based in Atlanta, Georgia. She
will oversee Lectra’s marketing in
Canada, the US and Latin America.
She will be responsible for ensuring
manufacturing and fashion customers
in the region are kept abreast of
developments in Lectra’s production
and software solutions.
Lectra said at the time of the
announcement that an increase in
fashion design in Quebec and on the
east and west coasts of the US,
combined with “the tremendous
increase in manufacturing in Latin
America”, means its business in this
part of the world is growing.
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WORLD FOOTWEAR | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012
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CREDIT: FASHIONNET ASIA