Cotopaxi chief executive to become chair, new CEO announced

US outdoor brand Cotopaxi has announced that founder and chief executive officer Davis Smith will transition to the position of chair from July 1.

Davis, who founded the Salt Lake City-based company in 2014, will be handing the reins over to Damien Huang, the former CEO of outdoor brand Eddie Bauer, who joined Cotopaxi as president back in May.

Huang spent 12 years at Eddie Bauer in various roles before being promoted to chief executive in May 2021, a position he held for a year. Earlier in his career he worked at outdoor brands Patagonia and The North Face.

“Like all great companies, Cotopaxi thrives not only because of a single visionary leader, but because that leader created and nurtured a culture and team that fuels the vision,” Huang said in a statement.

“This past year, Davis entrusted an expanded leadership team with taking the Cotopaxi brand to its next level, and I am honored to take an elevated role as part of that team" said Damien,” he said.

Huang’s appointment at Cotopaxi is one of many important leadership changes at the brand over the past year. Recent hires include Marissa Magno as vice president of people and inclusion, Grace Zuncic as chief people and impact officer, Brad Hiranaga as chief brand officer, Kamal Thota as vice president of technology, Charlie Mangini as vice president of operations, and Jason Hermann as vice president of corporate sales.

Today, Cotopaxi employs over 300 employees, and last year doubled sales from 2021, surpassing 100 million dollars in revenue. The company also noted that it is profitable, though no figure was disclosed.

“Cotopaxi has experienced remarkable growth over the last nine years and is proof that doing good and doing well are not mutually exclusive,” said outgoing CEO and incoming chair Smith.

He continued: “I am excited for this next phase in my career as the lifelong steward of Cotopaxi's brand, purpose, and mission, while also creating the right conditions for me to pursue something of great importance in my personal life.”

Cotopaxi added that Smith was recently asked by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to serve a three-year, unpaid leadership role in Recife, Brazil, where he will act as mission president.