Man in glasses and white shirt looks at camera

It took months searching for the right person, but Simon Payne has been appointed as chief commercial officer at Henri-Lloyd. In this newly-created role, Payne will be working alongside executive chairman Knut Frostad.

Payne’s role will focus on managing and increasing sales including distribution, wholesale, licensees, e-commerce and retail. The plan is to achieve Henri-Lloyd’s ambitious growth plans implemented under its new ownership within the Monte Rosa Sports Group – which acquired the company in 2022.

The search for exactly the right person has taken some months says Knut Frostad. “Simon brings not only an impressive pedigree in terms of achievements developing and growing worldwide sales and marketing, but also as a world champion sailor he really understands our ethos of having ‘the best days of your life’ on the water. Simon is a perfect match for the passion embodied by Henri-Lloyd, and bringing him on board further underlines our level of ambition as a sailing and lifestyle brand.”

Payne’s previous role as global sales director for Zhik saw the company through impressive worldwide growth. He has also enjoyed sales, marketing and leadership posts with Musto, 3M and Kimberly-Clark. Payne is a double world champion in sailing, in the technically-advanced Moth class and is now also an enthusiastic cruising sailor in his Sparkman and Stephens designed yacht.

Henri-Lloyd’s premium strategy

While Henri-Lloyd’s foray into fashion began as early as the 1980s, a growing tendency to favour fashion over functionality resulted in Henri-Lloyd’s authenticity as a technical brand being gradually undermined as the company and retailers were left grappling with excessive range creep, the company told MIN in March. It’s been reinventing itself, and now believes its new 2024 Yachting and Boating range, launched to the trade at METSTRADE in November 2023, will occupy a premium position in the market place. That’s aimed at inshore and offshore sailors as well as for onshore use.

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