Profile background

Michael Thompson

Profile avatar
Business Unit Director
Boulder | United States

Skills

  • General
  • Market Research
  • Marketing
  • Category Management
  • Business Planning
View all

Interests

No information

Industries

Bike
Lifestyle
Outdoor
Run
Streetwear
Triathlon
View all
HomeSummaryActivityProjectsWork experienceEducation historyConnectionsCompanies

In my own words

Michael

I’m a successful & passionate senior leader with over 15+ years of proven results in creating, managing, & delivering compelling product collections for a global marketplace.

My consumer-centered approach & ability to collaborate across an organization has resulted in industry-disrupting apparel, footwear, & soft goods to boost performance for world champion athletes, patented technologies, & transformational consumer experiences. I believe that diverse & inclusive teams have the most potential to yield the best business results. I’m a change agent & creative problem solver, with a history of pioneering new business initiatives to achieve strategic goals & market share growth.

Trajectory

Jan 2023 — Now
Default · Black Diamond Equipment
Jan 2023 — Now
Business Unit Director Global Footwear · Black Diamond Equipment
Responsible for creating the strategic direction and oversight for Black Diamond global footwear categories with accountability for strategic business and product launch planning, global product line management, product development leadership, and delivery of activity and consumer driven product initiatives. ● Drive a market leading point of view for all BD Footwear product, ensuring all category strategies are competitive & predictive of changing market dynamics & white space opportunities ● Manage & develop a 5 person, high performing product creation team (objective setting, assessments, coaching) that fosters cross-department collaboration ● Lead cohesive approach across footwear for GTM Milestone, flow to market, product & innovation life cycle strategies ● Collaborate closely with Brand leadership & Business Unit Directors to strategize cross category product launches and brand messaging alignment
Jan 2019 — Dec 2022
Default · The North Face
Jan 2019 — Dec 2022
Global Senior Director Footwear Category Management · The North Face
Oversaw all global footwear category management across Lifestyle & Performance categories as we led with innovation, culture, the outdoors, & authenticity being at the heart of the process. Responsible for product direction & seasonal storytelling to drive broad customer and consumer adoption. ● Led a six person global product management & merchandising team responsible for setting the strategic vision, overseeing the product creation process, & ensuring consumer right assortments within the global marketplace for the Performance, Lifestyle, & Youth footwear businesses ● Reset the overall category strategy with a focus on driving authenticity through scaling innovation, focusing on key classifications, & optimizing a global marketplace strategy ● Developed footwear collaboration strategy with key internal stakeholders, to bring authentic, brand relevant, energy moments to market thru new & existing franchises ● Structured the optimal product lines across the portfolio of businesses, resulting in revenue growth of 51% & margin improvement of 350 bps between CY19 & CY22 ● Facilitated global product launches & brand messaging with Brand, Sales, & Regional Merchandising teams
Jun 2019 — Aug 2022
Global Sr. Director, Footwear Category Management · The North Face
Oversaw all global footwear category management across Lifestyle & Performance categories as we led with innovation, culture, the outdoors, & authenticity being at the heart of the process. Responsible for product direction & seasonal storytelling to drive broad customer and consumer adoption. Led a six person product management & merchandising team responsible for setting the strategic vision, overseeing the product creation process, & ensuring consumer right assortments within the global marketplace for the Performance, Lifestyle, & Youth footwear businesses Reset the overall category strategy with a focus on driving authenticity through scaling innovation, focusing on key classifications, & optimizing the product creation calendar Structured the optimal product lines across the portfolio of businesses, resulting in revenue growth of 51% & margin improvement of 350 bps between CY19 & CY22 Collaborated with heads of Product Design & Development to ensure our teams are working effectively together Worked closely with Consumer Insights Team to ensure product creation teams are uncovering necessary information & immersed in key consumer insights Facilitated global product launches & brand messaging with Brand, Sales, & Regional Merchandising teams
Jan 2018 — Dec 2019
Senior Manager Product Merchandising AND Advanced Innovation · Pearl Izumi
Responsible for product strategy, innovation pipeline, merchandising, & business planning for the global footwear, apparel, & essentials categories. Led the global product creation process & teams from concept and briefing to commercialization. ● Managed & led a team of 4 product line managers, 1 product line coordinator, & 2 advanced innovation personnel ● Defined and led the overall business strategy and operations for the Global Apparel, Footwear, & Essentials businesses ● Built & guided multi-year product pipeline, strategy, & implementation for advanced innovation
Mar 2018 — Jun 2019
Sr. Manager, Product Merchandising & Advanced Innovation · PEARL iZUMi
Responsible for product strategy, merchandising, & business planning for the global footwear, apparel, & essentials categories. Led the global product creation process & teams from concept and briefing to commercialization. Managed & led a team of 4 product line managers, 1 product line coordinator, & 2 advanced innovation personnel Defined and led the overall business strategy and operations for the Global Apparel, Footwear, & Essentials businesses Built & guided multi-year product pipeline, strategy, & implementation for advanced innovation Led cross-functional leadership team in new product creation process, resulting in 6 month reductions in calendar to be closer to market
Jan 2007 — Dec 2019
Default · Pearl Izumi
Jan 2016 — Dec 2018
Global Category Manager Cycling Apparel AND Footwear · Pearl Izumi
Responsible for leading & managing all elements of the product creation process for the global apparel & footwear division. Defined & established category product vision, strategies, & seasonal initiatives, all designed to reach revenue/margin targets, & long-term strategic priorities. ● Re-launched road & mountain bike apparel categories: recruited team, re-focused & re-energized product line, while nurtured innovation & team culture ● Led PLM teams to assure key initiatives & strategies were aligned across categories throughout the season ● Selected to participate in the company's "Executive Leadership" program, used to identify future directors & chief officers
Feb 2016 — Mar 2018
Global Category Manager, Cycling Apparel & Footwear · PEARL iZUMi
Responsible for leading & managing all elements of the product creation process for the global apparel & footwear division. Defined & established category product vision, strategies, & seasonal initiatives, all designed to reach revenue/margin targets, & long-term strategic priorities. Re-launched road & mountain bike apparel categories: recruited team, re-focused & re-energized product line, while nurtured innovation & team culture Worked closely with Brand, Sales & Operations to strategize product launches & brand messaging Led PLM teams to assure key initiatives & strategies were aligned across categories throughout the season Selected to participate in the company’s “Executive Leadership” program, used to identify future directors & chief officers
Jan 2013 — Dec 2016
Senior Product Line Manager Run Footwear AND Run Apparel · Pearl Izumi
Led the strategy, planning and creation of the Project E:Motion footwear product line. A consumer & marketplace expert, translating knowledge into product insights & innovations, while growing market share & achieving business goals.
Sep 2013 — Feb 2016
Sr. Product Line Manager, Run Footwear & Run Apparel · PEARL iZUMi
Led the strategy, planning and creation of all styles in the global product collection. A consumer & marketplace expert, translating knowledge into product insights & innovations, while growing market share & achieving business goals. Responsible for leading global product line/category from brief stage through design, development, product introduction, and sell through Collaborated with global Go-To-Market teams to create cohesive sales & marketing strategies & deliverables that support seasonal product initiatives Translated consumer insights into compelling global product assortments that served the needs of our geography partners
Jan 2008 — Dec 2013
Product Line Manager Run Footwear · Pearl Izumi
Developed focused long-term product line architecture with a new global footwear platform, resulting in an innovative, consumer-centric product collection
May 2008 — Sep 2013
Product Line Manager, Run Footwear · PEARL iZUMi
Led teams from design, development, sourcing, & operations through seasonal product creation process Developed focused long-term product line architecture with a new global footwear platform, resulting in an innovative, consumer-centric product collection
Jan 2007 — Dec 2008
Product Developer · Pearl Izumi
Managed the development of all global footwear lines from initial concept to production commercialization.
Feb 2007 — May 2008
Product Developer, Run & Cycling Footwear · PEARL iZUMi
Managed the development of all global footwear lines from initial concept to production commercialization. Worked extensively with design, product management, & development to execute all seasonal footwear projects
Jan 2004 — Dec 2007
Product Developer AND Dealer Service Manager · GoLite
Assisted product development of entire backpack, sleeping bag, tent, bottle pack, & apparel lines from initial prototypes to final production

Activity

Education history

 Loyola University Maryland  logo

Loyola University Maryland

Bachelors of Business Administration | 1993 - 1997

Loyola University Maryland logo

Loyola University Maryland

bachelors

Connections

Tashina Yan profile photo

Tashina Yan

Senior Footwear Product Developer
Allbirds

View all