Deckers Outdoor Corporation appointed Stephen Murray as the company's president of Europe, Middle East and Africa, effective June 1. Murray will oversee Deckers' subsidiary and distributor businesses which include the UGG Australia, Teva, Tsubo and Simple Shoes brands.
Murray brings more than 20 years of brand building experience for multi-billion dollar global enterprises to Deckers. “We have been searching for the ideal candidate for this role for quite some time,” said Deckers Chairman, President and CEO Angel Martinez. “In Steve Murray we have found the unique combination of footwear and lifestyle brand building and global expertise that we need at a time when our international business is poised for growth unlike anything we've seen in the past.”
Murray joins the Deckers management team from Urban Outfitters Brand where he has served as the global president since April 2010, responsible for the brand, stores and e-commerce in North America and Europe. Murray was the president of VF Action Sports Coalition from February 2009 to March 2010 responsible for the Vans and Reef brands, and was the President of Vans from July 2004 to January 2009 prior to its acquisition by VF. Murray has extensive European experience as well, having served as Vans Europe senior vice president and with Reebok International in its apparel business before returning to Boston as vice president of apparel in the late 90s.
Murray will assume his role on June 1, 2011 and will operate from Deckers' Richmond, England office where the EMEA division is located.
