Athlete's Foot promotes marketing leader to GM job

Athlete’s Foot owner, The Accent Group, has promoted its head of marketing to a general manager’s position as part of an executive reshuffle.

Deena Colman, has been working with the shoe-focused retail group for the past 10 years in a number of marketing roles. Her new role sees her with accountability for the marketing of both Accent’s mono brands as well as The Athlete’s Foot along with a leadership role driving efficiencies across the group.

Colman told CMO the appointment is one of several general manager elevations in departments across retail, planning and store operations. No other marketing changes are planned.  Colman reports to the group general manager of wholesale.

“The priority for us as a business is continuing to find new ways in providing a best in class omni -channel experience for our customers,” she said.  “We’re also building our mono brand opportunities to continue growing through all our key channels of retail, digital and wholesale.” 

Prior to joining The Accent Group as a marketing manager, Colman worked in media planning at Coles Group. Her resume also includes a stint with OMD Australia covering media planning and buying.

In its most recent company update, The Accent Group noted plans to open at least 40 new stores this year, including Trybe and Pivot, as well as the debut of two fresh Platypus stores and the first CAT store in Australia. This will bring the group’s total footprint across owned and franchise to 519 stores by end of 2020.

At the same time, digital is a key area of growth, with the group acquiring Stylerunner last November, and launching Cremm, an online footwear and accessories marketplace. The company reported a 93 per cent uplift in digital sales in the most recent financial year, off the back of 131 per cent growth the previous year.

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