Allbirds has added a longtime sneaker industry veteran to its Board of Directors.
The San Francisco-based footwear brand recently announced that Ann Freeman, formerly known as Ann Hebert, will join the New Zealand-American company.
Freeman stepped down from her role as VP/GM of North America for the Swoosh last year after the West Coast Streetwear scandal. Freeman’s son, Joe Hebert, used the former VP/GM’s credit card to fund his resell business.
Following an interview with Businessweek which revealed Joe’s identity along with his mother’s role at Nike, Ann Freeman stepped down shortly after given the conflict of interest in her role at Nike, her son using her credit card, and the outrage that ensued as a result of the news.
Freeman was a 26-year veteran at Nike under various roles in her quarter-century-plus tenure at the brand.
Ms. Freeman is an industry veteran and dynamic leader having spent over 26 years at Nike where she held multiple leadership positions in all key global markets.
Most recently Ms. Freeman was Vice President and General Manager of North America, Nike’s largest market, where she led a team of 25,000 and oversaw all aspects of the business including, full P&L responsibility, strategy, product and merchandising, marketing, marketplace development, retail, digital, and brand management.
Prior to that Ms. Freeman was Vice President of Global Sales where she led an internal global re-organization initiative, which eliminated friction within complex structures focused on delivering a premium consumer experience while focusing on direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
Statement via Allbirds
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