Kontoor Brands appoints Simon Fisher as new managing director of EMEA

By

Robin Driver

Published
Jul 16, 2019

Kontoor Brands, Inc., the Greensboro, North Carolina-based company formed when VF Corporation spun off its jeanswear business in May, announced on Monday that it has named denim industry veteran Simon Fisher as the new managing director of its Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.

 
In his new role, Fisher will be tasked with leading Kontoor’s Lee and Wrangler brands in EMEA, with a focus on achieving accelerated regional growth and increased consumer engagement. He will also be responsible for identifying new markets and product categories for the brands and will report to VP and Wrangler global brand president Tom Waldron.
 
Fisher joins Kontoor from high-end ski apparel manufacturer Spyder Active Sports, were he served as general manager of EMEA. Prior to this, the graduate of Belgium’s Vlerick Business School served as VP for sales in the EMEA region at Lee, when the brand was still part of VF’s portfolio.

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Before joining Lee, Fisher had served in a number of different leadership roles at brands including Levi Strauss, Dockers, H&M and J. Lindeberg.
 
“Simon is a seasoned leader in the apparel industry with more than 30 years of experience, including previously leading sales for the Lee brand in EMEA,” said Waldron in a release. “His leadership and passion for our business, coupled with the exceptional teams we have in place in EMEA, will enable Kontoor to unlock new opportunities and drive growth for our brands throughout the region.”
 
Along with Lee and Wrangler, Kontoor’s brand portfolio also includes Rock & Republic.

The company recently announced the opening of the Lee and Wrangler Hometown Studio in Greensboro, an experiential retail space which will be used to conduct consumer market research, test out new features and host activations.