END appoints former Prada and Marc Jacobs boss as new CEO

Luxury streetwear and sportswear retailer END, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, has appointed Sebastian Suhl as its new Chief Executive Officer, with current CEO Parker Gundersen stepping down from the role.

Suhl has been a Non-Executive Director of END on a part-time basis since September 2024.

Until he commences his new CEO role this summer, END’s Chief Financial Officer, Karen Dracou, will assume the role of interim CEO "to ensure operational stability".

Suhl is a fashion industry veteran who spent over 10 years at Prada where he was CEO up until January 2012. He was then at LVMH as CEO of Marc Jacobs up until November 2017, followed by Managing Director of Valentino up to January 2020.

He then took on the CEO role at Trussardi, up to March 2023, and has most recently been CEO of Italian luxury packaging manufacturers, Mosaiq Group.

Suhl’s appointment follows "a comprehensive global search" and has been unanimously approved by END’s Board of Directors.

END’s Chairman, Martin Brok, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Sebastian Suhl to lead this next chapter of growth. He brings exceptional leadership, a strong strategic vision, and a deep understanding of our industry.

"We would also like to sincerely thank Parker for his contributions and leadership during his tenure, and we wish him the very best in his future endeavours."

In October 2024, private equity firm Apollo Global Management acquired END from The Carlyle Group.

When The Carlyle Group acquired a majority stake in END in March 2021, the retailer’s co-founders, Christiaan Ashworth and John Parker, retained a significant minority stake and remained on the board of directors at the company.

However, the deal with Apollo saw them fully exit the business they founded in Newcastle in 2005.