AKA Brands has appointed Ciaran Long as its new CEO following a positive fourth quarter driven by solid US sales growth.
Long has held the joint role of interim CEO and CFO since March 2023 and helped the company return to net sales growth and achieve three consecutive quarters of double-digit US sales expansion.
Long holds 25 years of financial leadership, strategic development and management experience. Prior to AKA, he was CFO of Samsclub.com and held leadership positions within Walmart’s e-commerce division.
“Ciaran is a strategic and seasoned leader who has driven organizational change across the business, and we’re confident that his robust understanding of the business and proven track record make him the ideal candidate to lead the company,” said Christopher Dean, chairman of the board.
Kevin Grant, a senior member of the finance team since 2021, has been promoted to CFO to replace Long.
For the fourth quarter, the company posted a 6.8 per cent increase in net sales, driven by a 21.6 per cent growth in US sales. Full-year net sales were up 5.2 per cent, with US sales jumping 16.9 per cent.
Further reading: AKA Brands’ sales dragged by weaker ANZ performance