The Athlete's Foot names new EMEA head

The Athlete's Foot announced this week the appointment of Romano Cinelli to the role of vice president, general manager of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).

The U.S. specialty footwear retailer said Cinelli will be in charge of managing daily business operations including marketing, merchandising, retail operations and brand partner management with big names such as Nike/Jordan, Adidas, New Balance, Reebok, and Puma in EMEA.

Additionally, he will be responsible for developing and implementing growth strategies to drive future growth TAF's store portfolio plus e-commerce business and identifying growth opportunities in emerging markets in EMEA, according to a press release.

An international sports and lifestyle business veteran with more than two decades of experience, Cinelli joins TAF from Converse, where he served as vice president and general manager of the sneaker's EMEA region. Prior to that, he served as general manager of southern Europe sportswear at Nike for nearly a decade.

"Bringing in Romano, with the proven track record, gives The Athlete's Foot's team a seasoned leader who would support TAF's continuous quest to become one of world's top athletic inspired lifestyle retailer and omni-channel business," said owner and CEO of Arklyz Group, Param Singh, who owns The Athlete's Foot globally.

"His extensive industry experience, expertise and alignment with our core values solidify him as the perfect person to lead TAF in EMEA."

Founded in 1971 in Atlanta, The Athlete's Foot is a global retailer of athletic inspired lifestyle for streetwear, footwear, apparel and accessories. Today, it boasts 550 stores and e-commerce shops in more than 30 countries. Its global headquarters are located in Stans, Switzerland and in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States.

In 2021, the company recorded sales for the year totalling $503 million, representing a 24% increase on 2020.

The Athlete's Foot names new EMEA head

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