SMCP - Elina Kousourna is appointed CEO of Maje

22 Mar 2023 07:00 CET

Press release - Paris, March 22th, 2023

Elina Kousourna appointed as CEO of Maje

SMCP group, parent company of the Sandro, Maje, Claudie Pierlot and Fursac brands, is pleased to announce that Elina Kousourna has been appointed as CEO of Maje, effective April 17^th, 2023. She will remain a member of SMCP group’s Executive Committee and will keep supporting Fursac teams, until the arrival of a new CEO for the brand.

Isabelle Guichot, CEO of SMCP, said: "I am very pleased to announce Elina’s appointment as CEO of Maje, a brand I know well for having managed it myself. This announcement is particularly important for me as it illustrates a strong value of our Group: promoting talents and internal mobility. Since 2015, Elina has been a key player in the Group's growth, impacting our strategy and development, as well as managing a brand in complete renewal like Fursac. It was therefore natural that Judith Milgrom [editor's note: Founder and Artistic Director of Maje] and I chose Elina to continue the expansion and influence of Maje, while respecting its so singular and feminine DNA. Elina has the talent and the proper vision to lead the House and continue to work towards achieving our priorities which are desirability, responsible development, and customer satisfaction.”

Elina Kousourna is taking over as CEO of Maje after more than three years as Head of Fursac brand, which, under her leadership, and that of its Creative Director, Gauthier Borsarello, has accelerated its growth in France and Europe by following an ambitious strategy and a clear roadmap, around collections that celebrate its tailoring know-how while opening up to more casual styles. The brand has also changed its name and entered the official Fashion Week calendar in 2022, thus confirming a substantial change in scale. Before joining Fursac in 2019, Elina spent four years as Head of Strategy and Development at SMCP. During this time, she was also involved in SMCP’s IPO on Euronext Paris in 2017 and helped accelerate the Group’s international development. Prior to joining the Group, Elina Kousourna was a Principal at the consulting firm Boston Consulting Group where she worked for nearly seven years in the Consumer & Retail team. She began her career at L'Oréal in Greece. Elina, 39, is a graduate of Athens University of Economics and holds an MBA from INSEAD.

Elina Kousourna, CEO of Maje, said: “I am delighted to be joining Maje at a pivotal moment in its history and to work alongside an inspirational woman like Judith. Maje is celebrating its 25^th anniversary, the right moment for the brand to further assert its identity, as modern nomad, and strengthen its global presence. I would like to thank Isabelle, Judith and the rest of SMCP Board of Directors for their trust in me to write that exciting new chapter for Maje.”

ABOUT SMCP

SMCP is a global leader in the accessible luxury market with four unique Parisian brands: Sandro, Maje, Claudie Pierlot and Fursac. Present in 47 countries, the Group comprises a network of over 1,600 stores globally and a strong digital presence in all its key markets. Evelyne Chetrite and Judith Milgrom founded Sandro and Maje in Paris, in 1984 and 1998 respectively, and continue to provide creative direction for the brands. Claudie Pierlot and Fursac were respectively acquired by SMCP in 2009 and 2019. SMCP is listed on the Euronext Paris regulated market (compartment A, ISIN CodeFR0013214145, ticker: SMCP

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