Safilo Group, the parent company of the Smith Optics brand and licensee for various lifestyle and sports brands, including Under Armour, reported it made organizational changes in the North American market to support the Group’s implementation of its strategic plan to continue business development in the core North American market and to accelerate of its Sport Channel business.
Safilo appointed Francesco Rinaldi Ceroni as president of Safilo’s Global Sport Division, “leveraging his expertise and knowledge of the sport segment as well as his commitment to innovation and sustainability.” The company said in a release that under Ceroni’s leadership, Safilo aims to “exploit Safilo’s strong portfolio of outdoor brands and capabilities across international markets, contributing to the Group’s medium-term ambition of a strong and sizeable sport channel which is expected to account for around 12 percent of its sales by 2027.”
The company also hired Vittorio Verdun as Safilio’s new president of the North American market. Verdun is reportedly a senior global executive with over thirty years of experience, including “13 years in the eyewear sector as a leader of cross-functional international teams in North America, working on business development and strategy for all channels.”
“We believe that our Global Sport Division creates important opportunities for us to proceed in our journey as a key player in the sector. We are thrilled that with Francesco Rinaldi Ceroni we have a strong leader of one of the core building blocks of our Group’s growth strategy,” said Angelo Trocchia, CEO of the Safilo Group. “Furthermore, we welcome Vittorio Verdun as the president for the North American market. With his wealth of experience, knowledge and extensive skillset, he will optimally lead Safilo U.S. and Canada.
Photo courtesy Safilo Group
