Brand Machine Group hires former ASOS finance director as new CFO
Brand Machine Group (BMG) has appointed James Simpson, formerly a Finance Director at ASOS, as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) as it continues its growth strategy.
Simpson will help to drive BMG’s rapid international expansion, alongside developing the direct-to-consumer business further via scaling the group’s brand portfolio of Penfield, Duchamp, Portofino Kids and U.S. Polo Assn. webstores, alongside further retail store openings in 2023 and onwards.
Simpson joins from Science In Sport, where he served as CFO since September 2019, responsible for the high growth, multi-channel, international consumer business that is now listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM).
Prior to that, Simpson was Director Operational Finance at ASOS - from December 2016 to September 2019 – during a time of rapid global expansion.
Simpson said: “I’m hugely excited to be joining Brand Machine Group at such a pivotal moment for the company. The group has a very impressive expansion journey to date matched with a great energy and focus on where it’s going, so supporting and driving this success further is truly a compelling proposition I wanted to be a part of.”
Boo Jalil, CEO of BMG, added: “James comes to us with exemplary experience in delivering strategy, governance, and planning for major companies at times of rapid digital and retail expansion. We are thrilled to have him on board.”
As well as owning brands such as Penfield and Duchamp, which it acquired in December 2020 and May 2021 respectively, BMG has 35 years of expertise in global licensing, including partnering and producing kidswear for the likes of Ben Sherman, Jack Wills, Juicy Couture, Elle Junior, Lyle & Scott and Original Penguin.
It also launched a debut kidswear collection with Lee in October 2022, and as UK licensee and partner of U.S. Polo Assn., the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA) it opened a 2,000 sq ft outlet store at Cheshire Oaks – located in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire - in April 2022, carrying menswear, womenswear and childrenswear.
