The European Outdoor Group (EOG) brought on two consultants and hired one staff member as part of its expanding focus on retail and sustainability.
Andy Airey and Anny Cardinahl started work as retail consultants for the EOG, while Katy Stevens joined the organization as sustainability project manager.
Since opening membership to retailers in 2014, 19 retailers have joined the EOG and are playing full and active roles, including Rainer Angstl of Munich-based Sporthause Schuster, who sits on the EOG board. Airey and Cardinahl are experts in the outdoor retail field and will help the EOG enhance its portfolio of services. Two weeks ago, more than 250 turned out for its European Outdoor Summit in Barcelona, where the theme was “Industry in Evolution.”
Andy Airey and Anny Cardinahl will work with EOG’s retail members across Europe.
Airey recently stepped down from his position as head buyer at U.K. retailer George Fisher Ltd. He has been an influential figure in the sector for many years and has a deep understanding of the challenges for both independent and multiple outdoor retailers. He is passionate about cooperation in the sector and has served on the board of the U.K. Outdoor Industries Association.
“Modern retail is in a dramatic state of flux, change is the name of the game,” said Airey. “It’s vitally important that retailers in the outdoor trade can adapt in order to maximise their potential in these challenging times.”
Cardinahl also brings a wealth of experience with her to the EOG, having spent over 20 years with one of the world’s leading outdoor retailers, Globetrotter.
“It’s a pleasure for me to cooperate with the EOG and to support its retail work at a time when the outdoor industry must convert newcomers and understand and address a new interpretation of ‘outdoor’ from the consumer side,” said Cardinahl. “I am looking forward to using ‘zeitgeist,’ strengths and opportunities as GPS-like waypoints to offer support from a bird’s eye view, in addressing both needs and challenges.”
Based in Germany, Cardinahl has a deep understanding of European retail and provides high-level strategic advice to businesses in the industry.
“We have always been very clear that all parts of the outdoor industry share much in common and can benefit from sustained collaboration,” said EOG General Secretary Mark Held. “However, it is equally clear that retailers have distinct and different needs that need to be served by a membership organisation like the EOG. We are delighted to be working with Anny and Andy. Together, they offer outstanding breadth and depth of knowledge and experience, and an understanding of outdoor retail across Europe that will prove to be of great value to the EOG and its members.”
Katy Stevens joined the EOG staff as sustainability project manager. Based in Germany, Dr. Stevens is a specialist in technical textiles with many years of experience in production, product development and testing and evaluation. She has extensive knowledge of textile chemistry and industrial usage, and will focus on capacity building in the area of chemicals management in order to assist the EOG and its members develop sustainability programs.
“This is an exciting opportunity for me to work in a progressive industry that I believe is fully committed to embedding sustainability into its business activities,” Stevens said. “I have already started speaking with EOG members to find out first-hand what support from the association they would welcome as they develop their in-house capabilities in this area. I believe that this can be an industry that is confident about its chemicals management capabilities.”
Stevens will work closely with EOG head of CSR and sustainability Pamela Ravasio, who added, “Katy brings great expertise to the EOG. Her knowledge about product development, including chemicals and their use and application in textiles, is outstanding. This will be vital, as we strive to provide the most up to date and relevant insights to our members – and the wider industry – and help to inform the development of long term sustainability strategies in our sector.”
The European Outdoor Group was founded in 2003 by 19 of the world’s largest outdoor companies, all of which recognized the need for a cohesive, cross-border approach to representation of the outdoor sector. In a world of increasing internationalization, legislation, environment, the media and trade are all now multinational issues. The combined strength of the EOG’s members (94 full members and 10 associate members) provides the group with an extremely powerful force to represent the European outdoor industry in a constructive and positive manner.
