Footasylum bolsters leadership team with two new appointments

Footasylum has strengthened its leadership team, appointing Will Van Rensburg as its new Chief Commercial Officer.

Van Rensburg brings experience from leadership roles at retailers including Clarks, Under Armour, PVH, and Aldi.

He is well-versed in all retail channels, including stores, e-commerce, wholesale, and franchising, and also successfully implemented loyalty programmes in previous roles.

As Chief Commercial Officer, he will oversee the commercial operations of the business and play a “pivotal” role in executing the company’s strategy to drive future growth and development.

The new appointment comes as Glen Wilkinson also joins Footasylum as Senior Buying Director, bringing over 25 years of industry knowledge, having held senior roles at companies including New Balance, Reebok, and most recently AW LAB.

With international expertise in the US, UK, Netherlands, and Italy, Wilkinson will help advance Footasylum’s buying strategy in collaboration with the company’s Chief Product Officer.

It follows the recent arrival of David Pujolar as Chief Executive Officer in March. Since joining, Pujolar has realigned the organisation and strengthened its Executive Leadership Team.

“I am delighted to welcome Will and Glen to the business. Their extensive experience will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our position in the market,” said Pujolar.

“Together, they will help drive our growth strategy and enhance our product offerings, ensuring that Footasylum remains at the forefront of the fashion streetwear and sportswear industry.

“With this enhanced team in place, I am confident in our ambitious plans for Footasylum, especially as we build on our FY24 performance and approach our peak trading period, where I am certain Will and Glen will make significant contributions.”

Footasylum recently achieved record sales and profit performance in FY24, with revenues up 7% and EBITDA up 41%.

The growth was driven by an 87% increase in wholesale sales and a 15% rise in online sales as it continues to invest in new and upsized stores, while rolling out omnichannel retail technology.