Mizuno USA has hired Hartmut Junghahn as vice president of Latin America. Scheduled to assume responsibilities in January 2012, Junghahn brings more than 27 years of consumer products expertise, with experience as a general manager, including sales, marketing and distribution management, with significant emphasis on the Latin American region.
Junghahn's primary responsibility will be leading the continued strategic development and execution of Mizuno’s Latin American business plan. Providing insight on local market conditions and working in cooperation with business partners in the region, the largest of which is ALPA in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Junghahn will identify and develop brand-building and strategic expansion opportunities consistent with Mizuno’s global business directives, values and resources.
“Latin America is a critical piece of our global brand strategy, and while we’ve been successful there, there still exists an enormous amount of untapped potential considering the marquee global events it will play host to, including the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and 2016 Olympics in Rio,” said Bob Puccini, President Mizuno USA, Inc., Chairman, Mizuno Canada, Ltd., and Director of Mizuno Corporation. “Hartmut's combination of knowledge and experience in Latin America, expertise in international consumer products marketing and proven leadership qualities made him the ideal choice for this role and he will certainly be integral to our ongoing success in this important region.”
A senior multinational executive, Junghahn has spent his career marketing and selling well known brands throughout the fast growing Latin American and South American regions. He most recently served as Director of Business Development for Nomacorc, the world’s leading producer of alternative wine closures, overseeing commercial and strategic efforts for South America. Prior to that, he was the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Latin America for Spectrum Brands, maker of consumer products brands such as Rayovac batteries. Before working for Spectrum, Junghahn was Vice President of Sales for Diageo PLC, the world’s leading distributor of premium beverages including spirits, beer and wine for such brands as Johnnie Walker and Crown Royal, in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina.
Junghahn received a Master of Business Administration from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute Technology Sloan School of Management, as well as a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration from the Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.
