66°North names new strategy and business development director

B-Corp outerwear brand 66°North have appointed Josefine Laigaard as its strategy and business development director.

The move is part of the company’s continued expansion and strategy plans to become the first truly global Icelandic brand and Laigaard has been appointed to play an integral role in the expansion plans and will be working in the brand’s new satellite head office in Copenhagen in close cooperate with the HQ in Reykjavik.

Laigaard has “vast strategic and commercial expertise within the fashion industry,” explains the brand, most recently serving as chief executive of Danish luxury brand Saks Potts. Prior to that, she was head of business development at Ganni.

Commenting on the appointment, Jeppe Møller, chief commercial officer at 66°North, who joined the brand in December 2023, said in a statement: “I am very excited for Josefine to join the 66°North team. She brings with her valuable international experience and strategic capabilities, which is essential for the next phase of our global expansion."

66°North was founded in 1926 as a protective outerwear brand for fishermen. The company has stores in Iceland and Denmark and opened a European flagship on Regent Street in London in November 2022. It also has 28 wholesale accounts globally, including Selfridges, Harrods, Mr Porter and Ssense. In 2022, the brand also named Kei Toyoshima as its creative director to create a “new handwriting” across all categories to enhance the brand experience for fashion customers.