Esprit appoints former Banana Republic rebrand leader Ana Andjelic as Chief Brand Officer

Hong-Kong-listed fashion brand Esprit has appointed Ana Andjelic as Chief Brand Officer to “redefine the brand’s new identity” and lead the creative direction and design hub globally from New York.

Prior to joining Esprit, Andjelic was the Chief Brand Officer at Banana Republic, where she led the rebranding venture and was responsible for its creative and editorial directions.

William Pak, Chief Executive Officer of Esprit, who took the role on permanently in March this year after four months on an interim basis, said: “Ana’s extensive experiences in brand building are extremely valuable in bringing Esprit’s global ambitions to life. She is an exceptional talent and creative, and it is a delight to have her spearheading our global creative efforts from New York.

“Ana will play an indispensable role in enhancing and strengthening our brand, and in turn accelerating our growth. We are thrilled to have her on board.”

Andjelic will report directly to Pak, who also remains in his positions of Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Esprit, roles he has held since September 2021.

Prior to Banana Republic, Andjelic was the Chief Marketing Officer at Mansur Gavriel and Chief Brand Officer at Rebecca Minkoff.

Andjelic brings with her a string of accolades, having been named twice in the Forbes’ The World’s Most Influential CMOs list. She is a regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, the Business of Fashion, and Harvard Business Review, and is the author of the book ‘The Business of Aspiration’.

As reported by TheIndustry.fashion in September 2022, Esprit is “making a comeback” in the UK and US markets with the launch of two new flagship stores in London and New York.

The new “hubs” will combine both retail and research under the brand’s ‘Futura’ concept, with the London location scheduled to open before the end of 2022 and the New York location slated to open in the first quarter of 2023.