Spanish brand Anekke appoints new general manager

Madrid – The Alicante-based company Azzar Group, which specialises in the design, manufacture and sale of handbags, accessories and fashion garments, has decided to take its main brand, Anekke, into a new phase of growth and internationalisation. For this new chapter, the company has entrusted the brand's management to executive Brigitte Boehm.

Founded in the Alicante town of Petrer in 1996 by siblings José Ramón, Purificación and Merce Brotons, the company began its journey specialising in leather goods, particularly handbag manufacturing. The siblings currently serve as chief executive officer, sales director, and head of design and product at Azzar Group, respectively. The newly created industrial group drew on the heritage of the three siblings, who are third-generation members of a family dedicated to the world of handbags.

Drawing on this 'savoir-faire' over its more than 30-year history, Azzar Group has diversified and scaled its operations. Today, it is a multinational company present in over 60 countries, dedicated to the handbag, apparel and fashion accessories segments. It designs, manufactures and sells these items through third-party licensing agreements, under which it has developed collections for brands such as Kimmidoll, Hello Kitty, Betty Boop and Pepa Pie, as well as through its own brands. This portfolio includes brands like Dogs by Beluchi and is led by Anekke. Anekke is the main brand of the Alicante-based company, and it is for this brand that a new chapter has begun with the appointment of Brigitte Boehm as the new general manager.

A former UNOde50 and The Estée Lauder executive to lead a new era of growth

With the ultimate goal of building on its achievements in recent years, Azzar Group and Anekke have laid the foundations for their growth and internationalisation strategy. They have become regular names at trade shows such as Micam in Milan; Who's Next in Paris; Schick in Salzburg; and Essenz in Munich. The Spanish company has now placed its main brand in the hands of an executive with a long and established career. Brigitte Boehm has built her career holding various positions of responsibility at companies like The Estée Lauder Companies. She was with the company for over 20 years, eventually holding the position of regional vice president and general manager for the EMEA and India markets. Boehm also worked at UNOde50, a Spanish jewellery brand, where she was the global marketing and business director for just over two years, from February 2023 to October 2025. Afterwards, she focused on strategic consulting for companies on growth, transformation and international expansion. She has now set these tasks aside to fully dedicate herself to the challenge of leading this new phase for Anekke.

Regarding this new chapter for the fashion, handbag and accessories brand, Boehm told FashionUnited in an exclusive statement that she is particularly excited about this new professional chapter at the helm of Anekke. She anticipates that her responsibilities will focus on leading the brand into a new stage of growth and internationalisation. To achieve these two goals, she will seek to join forces with the rest of the brand's team, both current members and new additions to the project. She will also continue to delve into the brand's DNA codes upon which Anekke has been built. The brand's operations have so far been marked by the launch of two annual collections, featuring its female character Anneke and her kitten Towanda, inspired by travels, experiences or famous women such as Virginia Woolf, Amelia Earhart or Coco Chanel.

"I am very excited about this new professional stage and the opportunity to join Anekke, a brand with a very special identity, enormous potential and great international projection," Brigitte Boehm said in an exclusive statement to FashionUnited. For this new chapter, both personally and for the brand, "my goal is to help drive sustainable and international growth, strengthening the brand, developing new markets and channels and advancing the company's digital transformation, always putting the consumer at the centre of our decisions." To that end, "I firmly believe that a good brand is built with good teams." From that conviction, "for me it is essential to work alongside the great talent that already exists in the company," as well as "to continue building an organisation that is increasingly solid, agile and prepared to face the challenges of the future" that the brand will face. "I feel very identified" with the brand, Boehm added, both with its universe and its "way of telling stories inspired by brave, adventurous women who are capable of breaking down barriers." "It is a brand with a soul," she noted, and also "with a message that connects deeply with me and with my own way of understanding challenges and new stages."

Carlos Bertran, new global director of digital strategy

Alongside the appointment of Brigitte Boehm as general manager, Anekke has appointed Carlos Bertran as the brand's new global director of digital strategy. Bertran has an equally extensive and established career, with experience gained over the years in various positions of responsibility for companies such as Danone; Timberland; Mango; Desigual; Veepee; and Sprinter, the sports chain where he was previously director of digital commerce and customer experience.

"Great brands are built with great teams," Boehm stressed, which is why she is "very excited to welcome Carlos Bertran, who has recently joined Anekke as global digital director." "Carlos has more than 15 years of experience leading digital and e-commerce businesses, driving transformation and growth projects in international environments." From his new position within the Alicante-based firm, "he will lead Anekke's global digital strategy, with the aim of accelerating the growth of the digital business, boosting its profitability and continuing to develop our international presence, always putting our consumers at the centre." "His appointment is another step in our commitment to digital transformation," she contextualised, as well as "to continue building an Anekke that is prepared to face the challenges and opportunities of the future."

"After these first few months at Anekke," a company which, like Boehm, Bertran effectively joined at the end of June, "I can say that I am even more excited about the project and the team that makes it possible," said the new global director of digital strategy for Azzar Group's main brand. "We have great challenges and also great opportunities ahead of us," he said, confessing that he is "very much looking forward to continuing to build" the new Anekke together with the rest of the fashion and accessories brand's team.