MILAN — Maria Sharapova has joined the board of Moncler Group.
As the company approved its financial statement for 2021 on Thursday, it also revealed that the former tennis champion and entrepreneur is among the additions to its new board for the 2022-24 period, along with Nike Inc.’s former president Jeanne Jackson and Mercedes‐Benz AG’s vice president of communications and marketing Bettina Fetzer.
“Today marks an important moment as one business cycle is coming to an end, and another begins,” said Moncler’s chairman and chief executive officer Remo Ruffini, thanking Nerio Alessandri, Virginie Morgon and Stephanie Phair who, “after an exceptional journey together, step down.”
In welcoming Sharapova, Jackson and Fetzer, Ruffini said their addition will “reinforce our vision ‘Beyond Fashion, Beyond Luxury’ with their remarkable backgrounds and experiences. Their perspectives and insights will bring further momentum to the group’s understanding of youth culture and community building, as part of our journey to connect to more and new audiences around the globe.”
In addition to her career on tennis courts, Sharapova launched the premium confection line Sugarpova in 2012, as well invested in a variety of companies such as Tonal, Therabody, Public.com and Bala, among others. She’s also passionate about design and architecture, having launched a furniture collection in partnership with Rove Concepts.
Jackson is the chief executive officer of MSP Capital, a private equity and consulting firm that she founded in 2002, and a board member of Monster Beverages and Delta Air Lines. She also served as board member of McDonald’s, Kraft Heinz and Nordstrom, in addition to Nike. Before retiring from the sports powerhouse in 2018, Jackson held top executive roles at Walmart.com USA, Banana Republic and Gap.
Fetzer became head of global communications of Mercedes‐Benz in 2015. Three years later, she was appointed vice president and then became the first female chief marketing officer of the company.
Still made up of 12 people, the Moncler board also includes vice chairman Marco De Benedetti and executive directors Roberto Eggs and Luciano Santel.
As reported, last year Moncler Group’s revenues surpassed the 2 billion euro mark, rising 44 percent compared with 1.4 billion euros in 2020. Compared to 2019, sales rose 28 percent.
In the 12 months ended Dec. 31, sales of the Moncler brand increased 27 percent to 1.8 billion euros, and were up 14 percent on 2019. The Stone Island brand logged revenues of 221.9 million euros for the nine months consolidated (April to December 2021). In the 12 months, they rose 35 percent to 310 million euros.
Source: WWD