Coach restructures Asian operations
American luxury goods brand Coach has revealed the next phase of its international growth strategy. Having recently expanded its operations to the UK, France, Spain, Ireland and Portugal, it is now reorganising its Asian operations into three major hubs: Japan, Mainland China and other Asia markets.
The company has also made changes to its senior staff structure for the Asian division. Victor Luis, previously president and CEO, Coach Japan and Coach China, has been promoted to the newly created position of president, Coach Retail International with responsibility for all of Coach's directly owned businesses outside North America. Mr Luis will return to New York and report to Lew Frankfort, chairman and CEO of Coach.
The company has appointed Daniel DiCicco as president and CEO of Coach Japan, reporting to Mr Luis. Mr. DiCicco joined Coach from Sony Music Entertainment (Asia), where he was most recently president, Asia region.
The company also announced that Andre Cohen, currently president and CEO of Coach China, will assume the newly created position of president and CEO, Coach Asia with responsibility for Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, and any future directly operated businesses in the region, reporting to Mr Luis.
Also joining the company later this autumn and reporting to Mr Cohen will be Nicolas Villeger as vice president, general manager of Coach Singapore and Malaysia. Mr Villeger is currently CEO of Longchamp in Japan.
Finally, taking over responsibility for the Mainland China operations of Coach China will be Jonathan Seliger, who joins Coach as president and CEO of Coach China. He will be based in Shanghai and will reporting to Mr Luis. Mr Seliger joins Coach from the Richemont Group, where for the last five years he has been managing director of Alfred Dunhill in China.
Mr Frankfort said: "Having proven Coach veterans such as Ian Bickley, Victor Luis, and Andre Cohen in key roles, strengthened by the appointment of these three new, seasoned executives will enable Coach to intensify our focus on our international business and accelerate our prospects for global growth. These new leaders demonstrate Coach's deep commitment to international expansion, notably in Asia."
