I am a strategic General Manager / Managing Director and product & marketing expert, with an extensive and diverse international portfolio, including transformative roles across high-profile sports, lifestyle, and fashion brands. With a dynamic leadership style and a seamless ability for turning challenges into profitable opportunities, I have played a key role leading international growth initiatives, driving market expansions, and fostering influential global partnerships.WHY ME?Supported major brand portfolios including Fanatics, Speedo, Canterbury, Lacoste, Ellesse, Ted Baker & Kickers.Seamlessly mapped out and executed strategies in response to diverse market needs while maximising profitability.Proven track record in leading diverse teams, fostering a culture of professional growth and high performance.Gathered and distilled consumer insights to create product and marketing strategies to increase both direct-to-consumer & wholesale sales plus brand awareness on an international stage.Transformed product operating models and organisational frameworks to increase creativity and range performance.Enhanced brand equity and guided brands through various stages of development to achieve global recognition.Played key role securing and growing strategic partnerships with international sports organisations, including the NFL, UEFA, IOC, British & Irish Lions, England Rugby and Formula 1.CAREER HIGHLIGHTSSuccessfully transformed loss-making international brands into profitable entities, significantly increasing sales through strategic operational overhauls and market expansion efforts.Led initiatives that increased sales and margins by innovating product and marketing strategies, enhancing sales across multiple regions including EMEA, LATAM, and ANZ.Negotiated and managed multi-year sponsorship agreements, repositioning Canterbury of New Zealand as the global leader in rugby.Supported the transition of the Lacoste’s business model, leading to a substantial increase in sales and profitability, exceeding ambitious divisional targets.CORE COMPENTENCIES• Team leadership & mentoring• Business process engineering• Brand equity & value creation• Brand positioning & Rebranding• Performance metrics & P&L ownership • International market strategy • Product lifecycle management & creation• Sourcing & supply chain operations.• Omni channel marketing• Licensing & SponsorshipOpen to discussing Managing Director, General Manager, or Chief Product / Marketing Officer opportunities on a permanent or interim basis: Immediate start.
Sports, Lifestyle & Fashion Brands / Business Scale Ups & Next Level Growth
-
Managing Director / General Manager / Chief Product Or Marketing Officer: Open To New OpportunitiesSports, Lifestyle & Fashion Brands / Business Scale Ups & Next Level Growth Sep 2024 - Present
-
Global Vice President / General Manager, Fanatics Brands InternationalFanatics, Inc. Jun 2020 - Aug 2024New York, Ny, UsTurned around a loss-making vertical model into a profit-generating business by creating and embedding an operating model for international vertical brands, across product, marketing, sales, supply chain, and operations. Led, motivated and provided strategic direction to a multifaceted team of 50 staff. Directed merger of international and USA businesses, creating a unified global powerhouse and designing a cutting-edge operating model driving scalability, sustainability, and commercial gains through strategic integration and smart systems utilisation. Designed and integrated a marketplace framework, unifying functions and stimulating retailer-centric solutions through segmentation and channel differentiation including pricing, product & marketing propositions.Developed and applied innovative product vision and marketing strategies, driving Fanatics' D2C vertical product sales by +118% over four years, with a margin achievement of £31.2M. Grew wholesale sales by +203% through the successful launch of the business in 21 new global markets via a mix of direct and distributor networks. Onboarded 25 new high-profile partnerships, featuring world-renowned organisations, notably Formula One, NZ All Blacks, Juventus, PSG, R&A Golf, UEFA, and the IOC, fortifying brand presence. -
Product & Marketing Director, Fanatics Brands InternationalFanatics, Inc. Sep 2018 - Jun 2020New York, Ny, UsLed Fanatics' vertical transformation from a start-up to a market leader by creating an organisational framework covering PLM, design, development, sourcing, and marketing, while fostering a culture of excellence and defining clear roles and salary structures. Cultivated a sustainable, compliant, and agile factory portfolio delivering diverse product categories and offering flexible, region-specific market solutions. Facilitated launch of a B2C made to order product platform, maximising replenishment and hot market opportunities, resulting in £7M incremental e-commerce sales and a 70% decline in aged inventory.Adopted a consumer-first strategy to generate actionable insights identifying target consumer profiles and market opportunities, shaping brand positioning, product curation, and marketing strategies while accelerating growth in alignment with customer needs.Delivered 15% intensification in vertical margins, 35% gain in productivity, and 65% increase in adoption via range rationalisation and product engineering strategies.Orchestrated multi-platform marketing campaigns spanning key product ranges, major sporting moments, and partner events, enhancing the fan experience, culminating in a 5% YoY escalation in aided awareness. Produced substantial wholesale & e-commerce sales and improved aided awareness within one year for the NFL & MLB brands by developing & executing targeted Nike product and marketing strategies.
-
Product & Marketing Director - Fashion & Footwear DivisionPentland Brands Jan 2017 - Jun 2018London, England, GbA member of the Divisional Exec board, created and deployed divisional strategies increasing performance through operational enhancements whilst maintaining the unique identity and positioning for each brand in the portfolio. Rationalised operations & reduced costs by 22%, redesigning the organisation to support brand portfolio growth while incorporating a product-to-consumer framework that assured seamless and cost-effective integration of future acquisitions.Optimised Lacoste’s business model, transitioning from a footwear licence to a joint venture, recognising new growth opportunities, and securing a long-term partnership.Exceeded expectations with a strong 2017 divisional performance, resulting in £279M in wholesale sales (+6% YOY) and £52M in profit, surpassing budget by £6.1M. Bridged a £10M divisional sales gap in Q3 2017 by analysing brand and account dynamics to pinpoint and grasp quick-response opportunities that strengthened divisional sales. -
Global Vice President Of Product And Marketing - Canterbury InternationalPentland Brands Nov 2012 - Dec 2016London, England, GbChampioned Canterbury's seamless transition into Pentland Group in 2012, assimilating culture and processes. Turned the financial performance from a loss to profit by restructuring the global organisation, optimising operating processes, and reprioritising brand focus to capture high-growth opportunities.Redefined brand positioning and equity model, aligning with customer insights to achieve the #1 global rugby brand ranking (by sales market share) and establish a strong brand foundation. Brokered landmark sponsorship deals with Ireland Rugby, England Rugby, and British & Irish Lions, enhancing credibility of the Canterbury brand proposition. Expanded UK wholesale sales growth by 61% over 2 year period through strategic key account management, targeted sales initiatives, and strong relationship-building. Reached 45% ANZ sales growth, repositioning the market with a new consumer proposition. Grew ecommerce sales by 30%, new subscribers by 56% and social media followers by 41% by enhancing online brand presence and launching a new brand website.Unlocked 166% annual global sales growth in the fitness category with the innovative "Train the Rugby Way" proposition, capitalising on emerging trends and consumer preferences. Led high-profile RWC15 and British & Irish Lions campaigns; improved fan engagement and brand visibility while delivering £16M in forward sales through brand activation and commercial acumen.
-
Creative Director - Ellesse InternationalPentland Brands May 2008 - Nov 2012London, England, GbLed brand guardianship and management of licensees, vetting business plans, product quality, and marketing activities, harmonising brand identity with regional performance. Established a transformative business plan, pivoting the brand from wholesale to a fully licensed model in 2008, spanning 22 global markets, generating £60M in licensed sales and £3.8M in profit. Introduced the brand to Asia, sparking £15M in wholesale sales and launching 100 retail spaces within two years.Reengineered brand values, DNA, consumer segmentation, and positioning, articulating annual creative vision and design direction for licence partners, guaranteeing global brand consistency. Envisioned and deployed the brand's retail identity and website, guiding creative strategy, supervising implementation, and orchestrating a seamless launch across global marketsEnhanced brand's association with sports via strategic sponsorships, including the Madrid Open, grassroots tennis initiatives, ambassador programmes, and launch of a luxury ski range - winning Best Newcomer award at Ispo GQ Fashion Awards.Directed the formation of Ellesse Heritage, a youth-focused fashion segment, through innovative collaboration projects, targeted product initiatives, emerging market trends, and tailored marketing strategies.
-
Global Head Of Apparel - Ellesse InternationalPentland Brands May 2006 - May 2008London, England, GbLeadership and management of the product team across PLM, design, development, sourcing and production.Created the global product strategy, defining top line range architecture & creative direction for all product categories in line with the global distribution strategy. Delivered seasonal brand campaigns, product launches and fashion shows.
-
Global Head Of Design & Development - Speedo InternationalPentland Brands Jan 2005 - May 2006London, England, GbLed Speedo’s category and design strategy defining product opportunities & performance metrics worldwide.Turned around Speedo's global teams into agile, consumer-driven units; enhanced product strategy and design, resulting in a 90% increase in apparel sales within year one.Launched innovative FS PRO athlete suit worn by Michael Phelps to break three world records; utilising pro technology to create a new body shaping swimwear concept for women.Partnered with the International Business Development Managers to execute the product and design strategy within licensee markets. Led the restructuring of the design, product and marketing teams into cross functional category teams focussed on consumer segmentation rather than independent functions. Recruited and established relevant skills into the business defining clarity of job role, accountability, and measures of success.
-
International Design DirectorHeadworx & Voodoo Dolls - Stirling Brands Plc Jul 2002 - Jan 2005Reporting into the Brand Director, responsible for the global product direction of two board sport brands (surf & snowboarding). Led a team in the UK & Australia across design, product development, sourcing and category management functions. Initiated the product and innovation direction for the season across all product ranges, establishing clear seasonal objectives for the merchandising, design & development teams in line with the business strategy. Worked with the operations team to define timelines & to complete all aspects of product research, fabric sourcing, technical innovation and garment development.Collaborated with the International Marketing team to ensure all marketing campaigns reflected the initial design vision.
-
Design DirectorStirling Group - M&S Oct 1996 - Jun 2002London, London, GbLed the creation and development of men’s and ladies casual wear, active sportswear and swimwear with a turnover in excess of £40 million p.a. Created and communicated product strategies to achieve ambitious turnover and margin targets that included leading edge product developments as well as replacing the core business.Attended international trade shows assessing future yarns, fabric, products and lifestyles, working closely with internal and external fabric development teams to identify and develop innovative fabrics within strict price parameters.Managed design team ensuring that all products developed were production viable and were developed within the key critical dates. Worked closely with a design house based in New York to develop men’s and ladies ranges to be launched into M&S in spring 2000, which developed into the current M&S Autograph concept.
Ian Nelson Education Details
-
University Of WestminsterFashion Design
Frequently Asked Questions about Ian Nelson
What company does Ian Nelson work for?
Ian Nelson works for Sports, Lifestyle & Fashion Brands / Business Scale Ups & Next Level Growth
What is Ian Nelson's role at the current company?
Ian Nelson's current role is Global Business Leader: Strategic Planning - Brand, Product & Marketing Expert - Org, Team & Culture Development - Business Re-Engineering, Transformation & Scale Up.
What schools did Ian Nelson attend?
Ian Nelson attended University Of Westminster.
Free Chrome Extension
Find emails, phones & company data instantly
Aero Online
Your AI prospecting assistant
Select data to include:
0 records × $0.02 per record
Download 750 million emails and 100 million phone numbers
Access emails and phone numbers of over 750 million business users. Instantly download verified profiles using 20+ filters, including location, job title, company, function, and industry.
Start your free trial