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Performance cycling and triathlon apparel specialist Pear Izumi has announced the recruitment of Chris Sword as president.
Sword will replace Mike O’Connor, who served as president before retiring in December 2016.
For the past nine years, Sword has been president of Oberalp North America, where he led the business from modest beginnings to market leadership. The OberAlp Group owns brands such as Dynafit, Salewa, Wild Country and Pomoca. He has also held senior positions at Ford Motor Company and Russell Corporation.
Pearl Izumi commented that Sword was hired for his overall business acumen. He is a product and brand expert with extensive international business experience, which Pear Izumi added was a critical requirement for the job.
“Pearl Izumi is excited to have Chris joining the brand and taking the helm of the company,” said Geoff Shaffer, VP of global brand marketing at Pearl Izumi.
“It’s an exciting time for Pearl Izumi; the organisation is looking forward to its next chapter. Chris’ leadership skills, business acumen and passion make him well-positioned to continue to drive our brand forward.”
“I am honoured by the opportunity to lead one of the cycling industry’s most iconic brands,” added Sword. “The chance to match my love of business and cycling with a brand that shares these passions is a unique and exciting opportunity. I’m thrilled to begin work with this talented team and start the next chapter for Pearl Izumi.”
