SAN FRANCISCO (BRAIN) — Timbuk2 has made four key executive appointments, saying the new hires signal "a new era in leadership" at the company. The new hires include Azul Couzens who was most recently the director of marketing at BRG Sports. Couzens is joining Timbuk2 as head of marketing.
The other new hires are fashion industry expert Jen Larkin as design director, designer Nelson Garcia as art director, and Ami Takahashi as head of international sales.
"These new additions reflect a transformative step for Timbuk2 as they move forward with the brand's commitment to bringing cyclists innovative solutions to daily rides," the company said.
Couzens' rose from a grassroots marketing position at CamelBak to later be brand manager at Bell then director of marketing for BRG Sports.
Larkin has worked in leather goods design, brand identity, illustration, and graphic design. Prior to this position, she worked as a design director and senior designer at Coach and a senior designer at Club Monaco, as well as various roles at Gap, Old Navy, and American Eagle Outfitters.
Garcia has almost two decades' worth of experiences as associate art director at Gap, Inc. from 1999 to 2015, as well as his work running his own independent design studio.
Takahashi recently joined Timbuk2 from Nike. A resident of Japan for more than 20 years, she held high-profile positions such as the business director for the Nike golf division and was most recently the general manager of Nike Women's and Women's Training.
"We are thrilled to welcome Jen, Nelson, Azul, and Ami onto our team," said Timbuk2 CEO Patti Cazzato. "We're very aligned on the way we view where the world is going – and it's by bike. This leadership team will bring a significant amount of strategy, foresight and planning, thinking about Timbuk2 not only as a bag brand, but as a larger movement around sustainability and making our cities better places to live."
