Under Armour Names Karl-Heinz ("Charlie") Maurath President of International
Industry Veteran Tapped to Lead Brand's Global Expansion; Additional Management Acquisitions Strengthen Executive Leadership Team
BALTIMORE, April 2, 2012 /CNW/ - Under Armour (NYSE: UA), the leader in performance apparel, footwear and accessories, announced today that Karl-Heinz ("Charlie") Maurath has been named President, Under Armour International, effective September 2012. Charlie brings more than 20 years of executive leadership experience to his new role at Under Armour, which will include driving international growth, leading the Brand's strategic expansion into key global markets and overseeing Under Armour's International business in Europe, Asia and the Americas.
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"Charlie's international leadership, experience and proven track record of success are among the most impressive in the industry, and I am very excited for him to join the Under Armour family," said Kevin Plank, CEO and Founder of Under Armour. "Under Armour is deeply committed to continued international growth, and Charlie's vast global expertise will be instrumental in our progress towards that goal."
Prior to joining Under Armour, Charlie served in numerous senior executive roles at adidas. These included the establishment of adidas Thailand where he served as Managing Director. Following that role, he became Managing Director of adidas Sweden, where he established and took on responsibility as Vice President of Area Nordic. For the past nine years, he has been in charge of adidas Latin America as Senior Vice President. In this position, he oversaw adidas, Reebok and TaylorMade subsidiaries and distributors, and was responsible for the fastest growing market within the adidas Group, delivering consistent, strong growth.
"This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join a dynamic Brand with unlimited potential for international growth," said Charlie. "As a lifelong sports enthusiast and athlete, I am thrilled to be joining a team whose commitment to authenticity, innovation and a bold entrepreneurial spirit are reflective of Kevin Plank's core values and provide a blueprint for Under Armour to flourish across multiple global markets."
Under Armour also welcomes two new members to its leadership team with the hiring of James ("Jim") Hardy, Jr. as Chief Supply Chain Officer and Fred Knowles, Senior Vice President of Human Resources.
Jim and Fred bring a combined 44 years of management expertise to the Brand. Jim's diverse business background includes leadership roles at Procter & Gamble, The Clorox Company, ConAgra Foods, Inc., The Dial Corporation and most recently, Hospira, Inc., a spinoff of drug manufacturer Abbott Laboratories. He will be responsible for strategically guiding Under Armour's rapidly growing supply chains locally and internationally.
Fred joins Under Armour from Capital One Financial Corporation, where he served as Senior Vice President, Enterprise Human Resources. Prior to his work with Capital One, he served in leadership roles at Exult, Inc., and ExxonMobil Corporation. As SVP of Human Resources at Under Armour, he will lead all aspects of Under Armour's human resources organization, including talent acquisition, compensation and benefits, teammate training and development, workforce strategy and employee relations.
"The addition of Fred, Jim and Charlie further bolsters a passionate and experienced executive leadership team that is spearheading Under Armour's long-term growth," said Plank. "As we continue to drive our brand forward, I'm confident that we have built a talented, strong management team that is poised to deliver on our mission to make all athletes better for years to come."
About Under Armour, Inc.
Under Armour® (NYSE: UA) is a leading developer, marketer, and distributor of branded performance apparel, footwear, and accessories. The Company's products are sold worldwide and worn by athletes at all levels, from youth to professional, on playing fields around the globe. The Under Armour global headquarters is in Baltimore, Maryland, with European headquarters in Amsterdam's Olympic Stadium, and additional offices in Denver, Hong Kong, Toronto, and Guangzhou, China. For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.ua.com.
SOURCE Under Armour, Inc.
Tai Foster, Under Armour, Inc., +1-443-691-2633, [email protected]; Erin Wendell, Under Armour, Inc., +1-410-454-6570, [email protected]
http://www.underarmour.com
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