Press release – Paris, 22 October 2019
Elina Kousourna named CEO of the De Fursac brand
Flavien d’Audiffret appointed as SMCP’s Strategy, Digital & Development Director
Following the acquisition in September of De Fursac, the French leader in accessible luxury menswear, SMCP is pleased to announce the appointment of Elina Kousourna as De Fursac’s Chief Executive Officer with effect from 19 November 2019. She will take over from Edmond Cohen, who will become President of the Supervisory Board of De Fursac. In addition, Alix Le Naour will remain Artistic Director of the brand.
Flavien d’Audiffret, currently SMCP’s Digital & Innovation Director, will replace Elina as the Group’s Chief Strategy and Development Director, while also retaining responsibility for Digital operations. These two appointments fit perfectly with the SMCP Group policy and its ambition to promote internal mobility.
Daniel Lalonde, SMCP’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “I am delighted to announce the appointments of Elina Kousourna as the new CEO of De Fursac, and Flavien d’Audiffret as SMCP’s new Strategy, Digital & Development Director. They are both very talented people who have significantly contributed to SMCP’s development. These two appointments fit perfectly with our company culture, deeply rooted in our entrepreneurial spirit, which fosters the internal mobility and the development of our talents. I am also delighted that Edmond will remain with us and continue to play a key role in the development of the De Fursac brand. On behalf of all of SMCP’s teams, we would like to wish them every success in their new roles”.
Elina Kousourna is taking over as the new Chief Executive Officer of the De Fursac brand after four years overseeing the SMCP Group’s strategy and development. She played a central role in the Group’s IPO in 2017 and contributed to accelerating the pace of SMCP’s international expansion drive. She was also a key figure in the De Fursac acquisition from the very beginning. Before joining the Group, Elina was a Principal at the Boston Consulting Group where she worked for almost seven years in the consumer and retail practice. She began her career working for L’Oréal in Greece. Elina, 35, holds an MBA from INSEAD.
Flavien d’Audiffret, SMCP Chief Digital & Innovation Officer for almost five years now, will take over as the Group’s Strategy, Digital & Development Director. Flavien has successfully implemented SMCP’s digital strategy with the Group’s digital sales penetration increasing from 3% to close to 15% in less than 4 years. He also helped devise and execute the omni-channel strategy for the Group. Before joining SMCP, Flavien worked for three years at Amazon as a Category Leader. Previously, he spent seven years working at Coca-Cola Enterprises where he held various management positions in sales and marketing. Flavien started his career as a consultant, notably with Bain & Company where he led strategic projects in the consumer goods industry. Flavien, 43, is a graduate from ESSEC business school.
ABOUT SMCP
SMCP is a global leader in the accessible luxury market with four unique Parisian brands: Sandro, Maje, Claudie Pierlot and De Fursac. Present in 40 countries, SMCP is a fast-growing company which reached the milestone of €1bn in sales in 2018. The Group comprises a network of over 1,500 stores globally plus a strong digital presence in all its key markets. Evelyne Chetrite and Judith Milgrom founded Sandro and Maje in Paris, in 1984 and 1998 respectively, and continue to provide creative direction for the brands. Claudie Pierlot and De Fursac were respectively acquired by SMCP in 2009 and 2019. SMCP is listed on the Euronext Paris regulated market (compartment A, ISIN Code FR0013214145, ticker: SMCP).
CONTACTS
INVESTORS/PRESS PRESS
SMCP BRUNSWICK
Célia d’Everlange Hugues Boëton
Tristan Roquet Montegon
+33 (0) 1 55 80 51 00 +33 (0) 1 53 96 83 83
celia.deverlange@smcp.com smcp@brunswickgroup.com
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