The North Face is known for its outdoor apparel, but in July 2020 the company became known for being the first major brand to speak out about against hate speech on Facebook as part of the #StopHateforProfit campaign. Join me in conversation with Global Brand President Arne Arens as he takes us inside that bold decision, and how it connects directly to the mission of The North Face brand, and how ultimately making long-lasting clothing that’s meant to be recycled makes for great business.
Arne Arens
Arne Arens is Global Brand President of The North Face. In this role, Arne is responsible for driving the growth of The North Face brand globally by setting the strategy for the brand across all aspects of the business.
Arne has over 20 years of experience demonstrating strong leadership. Prior to assuming the Brand President role in 2017, Arne was Vice President/General Manager, where he was responsible for the brand’s America’s business and strategic initiatives for sales, merchandising and the direct-to-consumer business. Arne also has led The North Face brand in EMEA where he oversaw sales, marketing, merchandising, product development and direct-to-consumer activities.
Prior to joining VF, Arne worked at Nike in Europe, where he spent eight years in marketing, sales and category roles. Before Nike, he served in consulting roles across a range of industries and geographies.
Arne holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Science and Business Administration from the University of Amsterdam and a Master of Business Administration degree from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
Simon Mainwaring
Simon Mainwaring is a brand futurist, global keynote speaker, and bestselling author. He is best known as the author of We First: How Brands and Consumers Use Social Media to Build a Better World and the Founder and CEO of We First, a strategic consultancy that works with brands to define their business strategy, company culture, and brand communications.
This episode of LEAD WITH WE was produced and edited by Goal17Media.com and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify.
Resources:
Learn more about what sustainability looks like at The North Face
Connect with Arne Arens on LinkedIn
Become a purposeful brand by visiting the We First website.
