Superdry names tech-savvy Sjölander as new chairman

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
Apr 26, 2021

Superdry’s bid to strengthen its exec team and accelerate the brand’s reset has taken a big step forward.

Tech expert Peter Sjölander will join the UK fashion retailer as chairman on 29 April. He replaces Peter Williams who announced his impending departure as chairman in December.

Sjölander continues a “hugely successful executive career” across public company, private equity and founder-led environments. Notably, he was CEO of Helly Hansen from 2007 to 2015 where he drove its transition “from a business focused on its local Scandinavian markets to a globally recognised brand… with digital transformation was core to [his] leadership”. 

He previously spent 13 years at Nike in a number of leadership roles across marketing, product and general management, working in the Nordics, Netherlands and USA at a time of rapid growth for the brand.

Most recently Sjölander has held a number of senior advisory and non-executive roles, including working with private equity funds where he has advised a number of brands and digital consumer businesses within their portfolios.

His appointment coincides with the arrival this week of new CFO Shaun Wills. He joins from Marks & Spencer, but had been Superdry CFO for three years (2012-2015) when the business traded as SuperGroup.

Julian Dunkerton, founder and chief executive, said: “Peter has a tremendous track record of driving value creation and is a true digitally-focused brand leader. The turnaround of Helly Hansen that he led when he was CEO… was highly impressive, and through his work with leading global brands such as Nike, he has accumulated fantastic brand, digital and international experience, all of which will be invaluable as we emerge from the challenges of Covid and accelerate the reset of Superdry”. 
 
Sjölander added: “The board, Julian and the executive team have a clear vision for the business and have made a great start on the reset, and I am really looking forward to working with everyone to restore Superdry to its rightful position as a leading global brand”.