Mr Porter and The Outnet confirm leadership teams under new owner

YNAP’s Mr porter and The Outnet on Thursday confirmed their respective leadership teams following their acquisition by Mytheresa — or the newly formed LuxExperience as it’s now known.

The company said the appointments at in-season luxury menswear e-tailer Mr porter “stress the move towards a dedicated leadership” for the brand to “strengthen its unique position and customer value in the digital luxury menswear market”. They should also “create great opportunities for Mr Porter to re-energise its value proposition and brand appeal under dedicated leadership while benefitting from the efficiencies and resources of a bigger group in the back-of-house operations”.

So, effective immediately, Toby Bateman, founding member of the business, returns as CEO having been “instrumental” in its “successful establishment and rapid growth” between 2010 and 2020, first as buying director and later as MD.

He “defined the original brand offer and launched many brands for digital distribution for the first time”. He was responsible for positioning it as the first online store to be an authorised retailer for many high-end watch brands and launched its own label brand Mr P.

Meanwhile Jeremy Langmead returns as brand director, “responsible for shaping and evolving” the label, overseeing brand marketing, PR and events”. 

Also a founding member alongside Bateman, he was editor-in-chief from 2010 to 2014 and returned from 2015 to 2020 as brand, content and communications director.

Continuing in their current roles are director of private labels Liza Canneford, and buying director Daniel Todd.

Over at The Outnet, the online destination for luxury fashion from previous seasons, the company has confirmed its current leadership team in their roles but this doesn’t mean business-as-usual. 

In fact, the e-tailer “will simplify and streamline its business model in order to develop new growth and improve its profitability as a standalone business”. 

The company said that the current, “experienced management team will lead the required changes and take advantage of the new opportunities as part of LuxExperience. Management’s proven track record and deep understanding of the off-price luxury market will be crucial in driving this new phase”.

That team includes Sabah Naqushbandi as MD, Georgina Coulter as head of buying, Franceska Waddicor as head of merchandising, Christopher Brown as creative director, and Kate Murray as marketing director.

Michael Kliger, CEO of LuxExperience, said: “Since Sabah took over the management of the store brand in May 2024, there have already been clear improvements in the business. Customers as well as The Outnet will benefit greatly from the planned separation and simplification of the business model.”