Esprit names new leadership team to enable international comeback

Fashion brand Esprit has announced a new senior leadership team, including chief executive, chief financial officer, chief product officer and chief digital and marketing officer to “shake up brand” for an international comeback.

Esprit has confirmed William Pak as chief executive officer. Described by the brand as a “seasoned business leader,” Pak was appointed as Esprit’s interim chief executive officer in October 2021 and will now lead the new era of the brand alongside a new executive leadership team.

Pak will be joined by financial industry veteran Brian Wong as chief financial officer, Sang Langill, who was named chief product officer in September 2021, and Larry Luk as chief digital and marketing officer, who previously worked at L’Oréal and Calvin Klein.

In a statement, the Esprit board said that it was “confident” in the new leadership team's capabilities “in reinvigorating Esprit’s return to the Asia market, including an ambitious e-commerce expansion”.

Esprit to introduce a new and refreshed offering as part of a new strategy for growth

Commenting on the new executive leadership team, Pak, said: “We have now laid the foundation to breathe new life into our brand. Under our new collective vision, the team will tap into our wealth of experience as we journey into a new era of growth.”

“I am thrilled to have the full team aboard, which signifies we are going full speed ahead with our highly anticipated comeback. The team will work closely together to ensure Esprit stays at the forefront of our industry, by creating sublime products that not only make customers feel good and look good but is also sustainable and consciously sourced.”

The new leadership team will work alongside Leif Erichson, the existing president of Europe, to kick-off a multi-dimensional business strategy that draws on the brand's heritage to introduce a new and refreshed offering. Esprit added that it will “reinvigorate” products and experiences through an enhanced new omni-channel ecosystem which will introduce more touchpoints.

The new strategy is aimed at “building long-term relationships with customers that inspire and foster community, while remaining conscious and committed to the impact on society and the planet,” added the brand.

Esprit, which was founded in California in 1968 by Doug Tompkins and Susie Buell, has undergone several operational changes in recent years, including the exit of Anders Kristiansen as chief executive in December 2020, who had been at the helm since June 2018. Since then, the brand has reported a turnaround from loss to profitability for the first half in 2021, for the first time since 2017.