FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif., Jan. 9, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Oakley, Inc. (NYSE:OO) today announced that it has appointed Giuseppe Servidori as the company's vice president and managing director of Oakley Europe, its wholly-owned subsidiary. Mr. Servidori, 43, brings more than 15 years of experience to his new role and will oversee the company's European business operations including sales, marketing and operations. He will report directly to chief operating officer Link Newcomb.
"The appointment of Giuseppe as managing director of Oakley Europe demonstrates the tremendous commitment we have made towards strengthening and growing this crucial market," said Link Newcomb, chief operating officer, Oakley, Inc. "We believe that his insights and experience bring strong credentials to our European business. His ability to manage teams and brands should serve as a perfect complement to the new leadership that Oakley has put into place over the past few months."
Since November 2003, Mr. Servidori has served as Senior Vice President of Luxottica North America responsible for the sales, marketing, operations, product development and product distribution in the U.S., Canadian and South American markets. From 1997-2003, he was Senior Vice President of Luxottica USA having a direct role in the acquisition and integration of the Bausch and Lomb sunwear division into Luxottica's U.S. operations as well as development and implementation of strategic initiatives for the Lenscrafters and Sunglass Hut businesses.
From 1995-1997, Mr. Servidori was the Vice President, Sales, Luxottica USA playing a role in the acquisition of Lenscrafters (US Shoe) and launching several new eyewear and sunwear collections in the U.S. market. Earlier he worked as Managing Director of Luxottica U.K. contributing to growing the business to one of the largest for Luxottica in Europe.
Mr. Servidori holds a master of business administration from the Golden Gate University and a bachelor degree in economics and business studies from University of Bologna. He is an avid outdoor sports enthusiast and enjoys mountain biking, skiing and golf.
About Oakley, Inc.
Oakley: a world brand, driven to ignite the imagination through the fusion of art and science. Building on its legacy of innovative, market-leading, premium sunglasses, the company offers a full array of products including performance apparel and accessories, prescription eyewear, footwear, watches and electronics to consumers in more than 100 countries. Trailing-12-month net sales through September 30, 2005 totaled $638.7 million and generated net income of $52.6 million. Oakley, Inc. press releases, SEC filings and the company's annual report are available at www.oakley.com.
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