In a continuing effort to develop a world-class management team and increase its market share in the athletic footwear category through improved product innovation and design, Sport Brands International CEO Jon Epstein has named renowned industry veteran Mikal Peveto as SVP Global Footwear for Fila.
In his new role, Mr. Peveto will assume global responsibility for Fila footwear design, development and marketing and will oversee the company’s efforts in footwear product and materials research as well as in advanced technologies.
Mr. Peveto, 41, comes to Fila as one of the most highly regarded experts in athletic footwear design and development in the world. His industry experience has earned him an unparalleled reputation in the category among his peers and the world’s leading athletic footwear retailers.
Mr. Peveto’s vast athletic footwear category experience includes seven years at Nike where he was a product manager in the running category.
His time at Nike was followed by six years at Adidas in Herzogenaurach, Germany where he was the international business unit manager for running and where he led the company’s largest footwear category to record growth.
Most recently, Mr. Peveto was a partner in Customatix.com, an internet company that he co-founded and that specializes in producing customized athletic footwear for consumers. Mr. Peveto also recently served in a consulting capacity for several of the world’s leading athletic footwear brands.
“We are fortunate to have Mikal as a member of the Fila team as the brand begins a new chapter in its history,” said Jon Epstein, CEO of Sport Brands International, the newly formed holding company that purchased Fila on June 11. “His passion for the category is only surpassed by his creativity and vision. Mikal has built very successful global footwear businesses for the two leaders in our category. We look forward to his repeating that success at Fila.”
An accomplished marathoner, Mr. Peveto is a native of Houston, Texas and a graduate of the University of South Alabama where he ran track.
Mr. Peveto will relocate to Sparks, Md., the current headquarters of Fila USA, from Portland, Oregon where he currently lives with his wife Mary and their two children.
