Bracken, who is still currently working for Burberry in the UK, will commence his new role at Apparel Group on July 1, 2011. His appointment marks the end of a six-month domestic and international manhunt for the position, with executive chairman Andrew Michael and director John Marshall crediting his expertise in premium brand building and retail execution.
Bracken also stood out due to the range of his experience, which extends across general and strategic management, fashion buying and merchandising, retail operations and supply chain. His successful 18-year career with Burberry, a multi-category retailer with a long history, international distribution and revenues in excess of £1.2 billion (A$1.9 billion), also made him a strong contender.
Having graduated from Middlesex University in 1990, Bracken joined Burberry in 1999 as operations director, before moving on to a role as commercial director in 2002. He continued to rise through the ranks of the iconic British fashion brand, securing a role as business integration director in 2006, before moving on to his most recent role at the company as vice president of strategy, product divisions.
Although Bracken's core responsibilities as chief executive of Apparel Group have not yet been revealed, he may take on some of the tasks previously handled by Michael and Marshall, but overall will be expected to work in conjunction with the two.
In an email to a select group of key Apparel Group business partners and suppliers, Michael said that while Bracken's appointment heralds a new era for the business, both he and Marshall will remain involved in the business and its operations.
“John Marshall and I remain fully committed to the future growth of Apparel Group both in Australia and overseas,” he said.
“We see our aspirations being achieved through outstanding people working together, therefore Daniel’s appointment is one of great importance to the future of our business. We look forward to welcoming Daniel and introducing him to our valued stakeholders at the earliest opportunity.”
Apparel Group, formerly known as Sports Fashions Group, was first established in Sydney in the early 1950s by the Marshall and Mitchell families and now employs over 900 people across offices in Sydney, Hong Kong and Shanghai. The company also runs a private label division, which provides design and manufacturing services for retailers across Australia.
The company has been successfully run by Marshall as director and Michael as executive chairman since 1996, although both have worked for the company previously in different roles. Marshall is also chairman of the General Pants Group.
Daniela Aroche