(This story was updated on 8/29/2023.)
The natural performance apparel company appoints former sales rep and industry veteran to lead sales role
DENVER (December 6, 2022) – icebreaker, the original merino wool apparel pioneers, announces the appointment of Jamie Baker as Senior Manager of U.S. Wholesale, effective immediately. Baker will be responsible for supporting the brand’s current retail partners in the U.S. market, while identifying ways to grow the business through new key partners.
“We are excited to continue our momentum in North America with the appointment of Jamie as our head of wholesale for the U.S.,” says Noah Bryan, general manager of North America at icebreaker. “Jamie’s leadership, track record of growth, entrepreneurial mindset and deep connections in the outdoor industry make him the perfect partner to help us unlock our next level of growth in the U.S. market.”
Jamie Baker – Photo courtesy of Icebreaker
Priorities for Baker include building seasonal go-to-market and strategic account plans, coaching sales representatives to achieve performance targets, and providing brand and operational excellence across all accounts. Baker’s goals are to ensure that there is a well-balanced approach to growing the business by responsibly scaling each of icebreaker’s distribution channels to leverage its strengths while providing a premium experience wherever the consumer interacts with the brand. This includes providing thoughtful solutions for existing partners, while also bringing new relationships into the fold through icebreaker’s mission of moving to natural.
“I’ve found that category leading brands that have premium positioning and a technical story are always the ones driving the most engagement and success,” says Baker. “I represented icebreaker almost a decade ago and one thing that hasn’t changed is its ethos. Over the course of nearly three decades, icebreaker has earned the reputation of being a leader in the merino wool apparel category by bringing compelling product to market through innovations in materials and construction techniques. I’m excited to continue building that legacy in new and exciting ways.”
Baker brings a unique and diverse set of skills from working both externally and internally for category-leading brands. For over a decade he has operated in almost all distribution channels from fashion to action sports, across most categories including apparel, footwear, hardgoods and accessories. He most recently served as the director of national accounts at BOTE following an eight-month stint as a principal at Arete Sales where his key responsibilities included account management, business development and marketing initiatives for brands like Nemo Equipment, Vuori Clothing, and Garmont. Prior to that, he spent five years at Arc’teryx across the outdoor and fashion business groups, leaving as the national accounts manager for outdoor. Over the course of Baker’s successful career trajectory, he has developed a keen understanding of the fundamentals required to drive brand success within a competitive market.
About icebreaker: Founded in 1995 in New Zealand, icebreaker pioneered the ethical and sustainable production of natural performance apparel. Now a part of the VF Corporation, icebreaker continues to challenge the status quo while championing natural, transparent, and responsible ways to do business. icebreaker looks to nature for the answers and for innovative ways to do more with less. Working with what nature provides and adapting as nature does, icebreaker enables consumers to join a movement towards choosing natural and preserving the planet for generations to come. Icebreaker clothing is available in more than 5,000 stores in 50 countries through wholesale, Touch Lab retail stores and e-commerce platforms. www.icebreaker.com
