Gymshark names Kim Dolder as chief commercial officer

British fitness and apparel brand Gymshark has promoted Kim Dolder to chief commercial officer to drive the brand forward into a “fully omnichannel enterprise”.

Dolder, a former Abercrombie and Fitch and Under Armour executive, joined Gymshark in April 2024 as general manager of North America and will report directly to the brand’s founder and chief executive, Ben Francis, in her new role.

As chief commercial officer (COO), Dolder will be responsible for creating and implementing strategies that drive revenues, introduce new products, and scale new business channels. She will continue to operate out of New York and lead Gymshark’s US office. Dolder will also become Gymshark’s first board member located in the US.

Commenting on the appointment, Ben Francis, founder and chief executive officer of Gymshark, said in a statement: “If we are to become an iconic 100-year brand, there are two things we can’t compromise on - being global and being omnichannel. To achieve them, we need a chief commercial officer who can be the architect to create the blueprint to get us there.

“I can think of no one better than Kimto step into this role. Kim is our first chief based in the US, so this serves as a real sign of intent of our global ambitions. Since joining, she has already added so much value to our North American operations and her experience, insight and sheer will to win will definitely take Gymshark to new heights.”

Gymshark promotes Kim Dolder from general manager of North America to chief commercial officer

Dolder’s promotion is the latest development in Gymshark’s expansion plans in the US. Last year, the British brand moved its North American headquarters to New York in June, hosted its biggest-ever event in the city in September, Lift:NY featuring more than 7,500 members of its fitness community, and opened a holiday pop-up in SoHo, its first in more than seven years.

In addition, Gymshark confirmed its first permanent retail store in the US will be located at 11 Bond Street in New York City as it looks to push forward its international expansion. The store will open later this year and will span 13,000 square feet across four floors, combining retail, events, and community space.

Dolder added: “Gymshark has had an unbelievable 12 years as, predominantly, an e-commerce company, but it’s no secret that we are pivoting to become an omnichannel organisation.

“So, to step into the CCO’s shoes and play a role in evolving the incredible brand we’ve built so far, building our retail footprint and expanding our wholesale and franchise partnerships is beyond exciting. I’ve worked in apparel for 20 years at some amazing brands, but I’ve never had more clarity about the opportunity in front of me and, well, it feels like it's all been leading to this.”

Dolder’s appointment follows a series of senior appointments from the retailer, including Sian Keane joining as chief people officer from Farfetch, Carly Natalizia (formerly O’Brien) joining from The Very Group as chief digital officer and Hannah Mercer joining from Adidas as general manager, wholesale and retail.