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Global Retail Brand Marketing Consultant

Michael Benesch 
Connecting with Consumers while Driving Brand 
and Revenue Growth at Nike, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and Nautica 

Los Angeles, CA 
Phone: 917.572.7435 
Email: mrbenesch2@gmail.com 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelbenesch/ 

Award winning innovative global marketing executive with year-over-year success in serving consumers while driving brand awareness, demand and distinction, using a powerful blend of art and science: Specialized in delivering unprecedented growth on behalf of youth-driven, iconic premium brands – (Nike, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and Nautica International) accomplishing the challenging task of making iconic brands bigger and cooler at the same time. 

20+ years of Global/ Geo Retail Brand Marketing, Product Merchandising and Retail Leadership (Digital and Physical) creating strategy and driving business across multiple cross category functions: Marketing, Analytical Merchandising, Product Creation, Supply Chain, International Licensing and Distribution, Sales and Retail General Management with full P&L, Global Brand Management, Retail Presentation Visual Strategy.. Strong project management background managing varying levels of opportunity and timelines, running concurrently over extended periods of time. Success building, leading and working with cross functional teams to deliver objectives. 

With a relentless core focus on innovative consumer experiences and product, he is able to guide a brand’s development from new concept to consumer purchase: Starting with an initial concept, develop branding strategy, create rich consumer experiences in a signature environment both in-store and online, and then following it through to a selling season exceeding all global sales expectations in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific. His understanding of international markets is enhanced by living overseas and extensive global retail travel for over two decades. 

Industries: Apparel | Fashion | Luxury Watches | Consumer Products | Beauty | Hospitality | 
Lifestyle | Retail | Technology 

STRENGTHS 
Global Brand Management, Development & Strategy – Omni-Channel Marketing – Omni-Channel Marketing – Consumer Engagement & Analytics – Marketing Strategy & Creative Execution – Performance Marketing – Creative Direction – Content Creation Storytelling & Distribution – Product Marketing – Digital, Social. Media, Mobile Marketing – Customer-Focused & Data-Driven Decisions – Experiential Consumer Events – Advertising & Media Strategy – Public Relations, Communication & Events – Advertising & Divisional Budgeting – Budgets over $50 M – Cross-Functional Team Leadership – Operational Excellence – Geo & International Licensing – Premier Branded Retail Environments – Luxury Resort Retail – Retail Coordinator Programs – Dynamic Public Speaker – Extensive Global Travel – Trusted Advisor to Retail CEOs & Executive Leadership Team. 
Industries: Apparel | Fashion | Luxury Watches | Consumer Products | Beauty | Hospitality | Lifestyle | Retail | Technology



2008 – Present
Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

I hold an international retail and brand marketing consulting role helping lead large international companies and investment firms accomplish their strategic objectives. My goal is to improve decision making and accelerate business innovation by sharing my expertise to identify perspectives on corporate retail business strategies, identify risks, global regulatory intelligence, social and corporate governance data (ESG), referencing international business practices, while contrasting geo and country economies.
- GLG is the world's insight network: We connect international decision-makers to the right business experts so they can act with the confidence that comes from true clarity and have what it takes to get ahead. Bringing powerful insight to every great professional decision. - Clients: Fortune 100 companies, private equity and venture capital firms, hedge fund and mutual fund companies, marketing firms, advertising holding companies, global banks, technology companies, global industrials, etc...

1. Sought after by Nike senior management to lead the Brand marketing vision and key account management through premium consumer experiences to enhance our partnerships with premium Strategic Accounts in North America: Building Brand loyalty and driving profitable revenue through consumer-centric youth driven omni-channel marketing.
Strategic Account portfolio represents a combined revenue of $2.5B.
Managed $43M budget and oversaw 7 Nike business units, 5 territory offices and 25+ licensee partners.
2. In this role, I serve as the single voice of Nike to the retail account executives and their cross-functional retail departments, and also served as the single voice representing the retail senior executives back to Nike Corporate. (Nordstrom, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, JCP and Kohl’s).
3. Additionally, I earned expanded accountability to also cover the Director of the Young Athletes Category Marketing role for all North American accounts (sporting goods stores and department stores - includes Dick’s Sporting Goods, Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, FinishLine, etc.).
4. I serve as the voice for the consumer. I act as the creative driver of the marketing Brand voice and tone for all categories, brands, agencies, and licensee business units.
5. Transformed the North America marketplace creating compelling digital communications and premium retail presentations while executing distinctive Brand marketing across all channels: Driving seasonal product initiatives, new product launch, ecommerce, digital content, disrupting social media, digital analytics, POS collateral, TV, video, print, outdoor advertising, while creating meaningful consumer engagement events, and amplified digital consumer experiences.
6. I oversee and manage all aspects of 360-degree go-to-consumer campaigns, from strategic brief through execution, with internal creative teams and agency partners. I serve as the key point person for all internal, territory, and external agency teams......providing direction and constant communication around all Brand/ retail/ digital/ mobile/ and consumer experience projects, ensuring clarity of action items and responsibilities. Achieved brand’s separation from competition by devising disruptive omni-channel brand marketing campaigns to enhance brand presence and increase sell-through.
7. Working effectively across the Nike matrix with key functional partners to lead the account to new consumer-centric Brand visions. Provided research data to support analytical decision making using both qualitative and quantitative methods to identify optimization within the current business while identifying new opportunities.
8. Leading financial and strategic account negotiations to support key brand and business priorities, driving internal and external marketing alignment. I work in very close partnership with the SVP of Nike sales regarding each account.
I work with my Nike cross-functional and category partners to create seasonal marketing budgets of over $43M.
9. More than doubled sales volume during tenure, reinventing the under-developed Women’s business for modern customer relevance in an increasingly competitive environment, positioned business as the market leader in North America and maintained dominance in the space. Installed 30+ innovative retail shop concepts heavily supported by digital media content targeting young active female consumers in key retail locations for Nordstrom and Macy’s. (Note: Previously, Nordstrom had not done any retail environments with Nike.)
10. For the Nike Young Athletes Category: Re-set the strategic focus for the category through new mission, vision, and position. Re-defined the target consumer and launched a new brand voice through a digitally-lead offense for key product launches, leveraging key athletes and igniting major sport movements. Opened the first YA store in 2012. Drove YA sales to become the largest business category at Nike as YA revenue passed $1.0B in 2015.
11. Awarded Nike’s “Most Valuable Player/ MVP” award for Teamwork and Leadership -2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. “Just Do It” award in 2016.
Examples:
“SF Women’s Marathon”, “Nordstrom Sneaker Boutiques”, “Olympics retail experiences”, “NBA All-star”, “NYC Marathon”, “US Open”, “Chicago Marathon”, “Nike Women Training Club”, shop installs/store in store, and new store openings...”

Nike Director Integrated Brand Marketing - US & Canada / Key Strategic 

Find out detailed information about Michael Benesch, Global Retail Brand Marketing Consultant in Los Angeles, CA

Michael Benesch: Global Retail Brand Marketing Consultant in Los Angeles, CA

Michael Benesch

GLG / Gerson Lehman Group

Nike Inc

Eastern Washington University