Johnnie-O, the Santa Monica, CA-based men’s and boys’ apparel brand, promoted Matt Ferrer to president, with continued reporting to Johnnie-O CEO Dave Gatto.
Ferrer, who joined the company in spring 2015, has been a member of its leadership team for nearly a decade, playing a central role in expanding its line across wholesale, retail and licensed businesses. As president, Ferrer will oversee the commercial side of the business, including brand, marketing, product, and sales across wholesale, retail and e-commerce.
“Matt has been instrumental in driving the commercial growth of Johnnie-O,” said Founder John O’Donnell. “You can see it in the business, but you also see it in the people around him. He has built a strong team in Raleigh and created a culture rooted in trust and collaboration, which matters just as much as the numbers. I’m excited to see where he takes the brand next.”
Ferrer began his career at the company as a business development manager and progressed through roles including director of business development, vice president of sales and senior vice president of sales, most recently overseeing all wholesale channels. This followed his completion of a two-year MBA program at the UCLA Anderson School of Management and his prior work in finance at Lehman Brothers and Barclays Capital, before moving into brand consulting.
“I’ve had the opportunity to grow alongside this brand for the past 10 years, and I’m grateful for the trust that has been placed in me,” Ferrer said. “What has always set Johnnie-O apart is our people and our consistency. We know who we are, and that shows up in our product, our partnerships and how we work together. I’m excited for the opportunity to help take the brand even further.”
The company reported in a media release that in 2016, “Ferrer helped launch Johnnie-O’s Major League Baseball license, marking the brand’s first entry into sports licensing. Under his leadership, the licensing business expanded across Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, the National Football League, the PGA Tour, the United States Golf Association and over 200 colleges and universities. During this period, Johnnie-O also scaled its retail business from three locations to 15 stores, with plans to double its footprint over the next 18 months.”
Images courtesy Johnnie-O
