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Bollé Brands Group is entering a ‘major’ new phase of accelerated growth, fortifying its key posts with new appointments to support its ‘ambitious’ plan.
This revolves around a pronounced shift towards digital technologies, a tactical plan of attack on the ground to boost its brands’ presence with the general public, and the strengthening of an ESG policy.
Sandie Tourondel, formerly racing communication and PR manager at Rossignol Group, was recruited to the position of global brands visibility manager in early September with the principal mission of enhancing the international visibility of the four brands, Bollé, Cébé, Spy+ and Serengeti, working alongside the marketing, digital, product and sales teams.
The Bollé Brands Insider platform was launched in early summer and has already gained several hundred users. The aim is for this platform to become a forum for exchange between consumers and the company’s teams, whether as part of product development, for consultation on setting up a marketing campaign, or to provide feedback and customer experiences.
On the sales side, the group also welcomed Jeremy Howard, formerly e-commerce key accounts for Luxottica, as head of sales for the UK and Ireland.
Following the European launch of the Bollé and Serengeti e-commerce websites in autumn 2020, the company’s digital teams delivered further developments last spring with the online sales sites SpyOptic.eu for Europe and Bollé and Serengeti for the US, in addition to a new feature with Virtual Try On for Bollé, and the strengthening of the B2B platform with the addition of pre-order features that come in addition to those of already effective restocking.
This acceleration continued through the latter part of the year with the launch of the Cébé Europe e-commerce site in October, offering a new opportunity to experience the brand’s “Pure Adrenaline” experience with the option to buy its products directly: helmets, goggles and sunglasses for adults and children.
Under the responsibility of Pierre Burgelin, formerly international sales director and prescription programme at Julbo, as RX business unit director, the roll-out of the RX webshop, scheduled by the end of this year, will enable the company’s optician partners to offer all its collections and own exclusive technologies fitted with the wearer’s prescription.
Quentin Chapelain, formerly head of the carbon neutrality project at Air Liquide, joined the company as ESG manager in July with the mission of defining, coordinating, and developing the group’s ESG (social and environmental responsibility) strategy by leading projects and initiatives across all its brands.
On the product side, this will result in concrete actions around the company’s different brands including, for Bollé, the launch of an urban range of fully eco-responsible cycling helmets with four models and nine colour options from spring/summer 2022.
François Benaben, president of the sport and luxury division, said: “For Bollé Brands Group, this new season is a strategic point in the development process it has initiated in recent months.
“I am delighted to be strengthening our teams in key posts around three of the pillars that form the foundation of our group.
“This digital acceleration, the intensification of our presence in the field to increase the visibility of our brands, and the strengthening our ESG strategy will all be major assets to support our future growth, enabling us to consolidate our position among the leaders in the eyewear and sports markets.”
