Steve Madden has announced the appointment of Arian Simone, president and chief executive officer of Fearless Fund, and Peter A. Davis, a footwear and apparel industry veteran, to its board of directors.

The company said in a release that Simone’s and Davis’ appointments expand the board to eleven directors, nine of whom are independent directors.

Commenting on the new additions to the board, Edward Rosenfeld, the company’s chairman and chief executive officer, said, “We are pleased to welcome Arian and Pete to our board of directors. The addition of these directors complements our board’s skills and experiences, and with Arian’s marketing expertise and Pete’s deep industry knowledge, we are confident they will provide valuable perspectives.”

The company added that Simone is president and chief executive officer of Fearless Fund, a venture capital fund that invests in women of color-led businesses, which she co-founded in 2018. From 2004 to 2017, Simone was the owner of AR PR Marketing, a publicity and marketing strategy firm.

Simone serves as a member on the board of directors for the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. In 2021, she was the recipient of the 15th Annual General Motors African Ancestry Network Black History Month Celebration Entrepreneurial Spirit Award and the Detroit Branch NAACP Great Expectations Award.

Davis, the company further said, has over 30 years of experience in the footwear and apparel industry, having held executive leadership positions in sales and marketing with companies including Skechers, Fila, Reebok, Joy & Mario, and Dynasty Footwear. He also founded The Infamous Black Sheep Brand, an urban action sports lifestyle brand. A former player in the NBA, Davis runs Pete Davis Basketball, a grassroots community youth basketball organization.