Outdoor clothing brand Jack Wolfskin appoints new CEO

BERLIN, Germany - German outdoor clothing brand Jack Wolfskin has appointed Melody Harris-Jensbach, formerly chief product officer at both fashion retailer Esprit and sportswear firm Puma, as its new chief executive.

Jack Wolfskin said in a statement that Harris-Jensbach would replace Michael Rupp with immediate effect, adding that Rupp had decided not to extend his contract for personal reasons.

Rupp took over as CEO in 2012, replacing co-founder Manfred Hell, who had run the brand for nearly 25 years. Hell stepped down when U.S. private equity investor Blackstone bought the firm in 2011 for about 700 million euros ($877 million).

Under Blackstone, Wolfskin, which sells jackets, rucksacks, tents and shoes for mountaineers and trekkers but is also a popular urban brand in Germany, has been focusing on expanding in Scandinavia and eastern Europe.

Harris-Jensbach, an American who started her career as a designer of women's fashion, including for Esprit, was appointed chief product officer at Puma in 2008 and then moved back to Esprit in the same role in 2012.

Wolfskin, which competes with VF Corp's North Face, reported 2013 sales of 324 million euros and employs 800 people.

1 USD=0.625 GBP