Asos appoints Robert Birge as Chief Growth Officer

Asos has announced the appointment of Robert Birge as its first Chief Growth Officer. The company said in a statement that Birge, a seasoned e-commerce and marketing executive, joins the company on December 3, 2019 and will report to CEO, Nick Beighton.

Commenting on Birge’s appointment, Nick Beighton, CEO, Asos said: “Robert’s proven track record in delivering high impact marketing programmes for fast-growing e-commerce businesses means he is an ideal appointment for this new role. And, with more than half of our revenue coming from international markets, his global experience will help fuel our ability to take advantage of the growth opportunities ahead of us.”

Robert Birge to join Asos as chief growth officer

The company added that Birge’s role is the first in a series of appointments that will strengthen the executive team at Asos and ensure the business is well organised for the next phase of its growth. Birge will be responsible for driving profitable growth and integrating the company’s marketing efforts with strategic planning, analytics and customer experience. He will lead a marketing function of 170 people and a customer care operation of more than 1200.

Birge, 49, has recently served as an executive and adviser for various consumer e-commerce, content and ad tech start-ups including US online health start-up, Blink Health, and online travel start-up, Lola. Prior to that he held chief marketing officer positions in international businesses including travel metasearch site, Kayak, and IMG, the global sports, fashion and media agency.

The company further said that it is currently recruiting for three other executives to oversee product, HR and strategy. These hires, which will be announced in due course, will strengthen the operational capabilities of the senior management team, led by Nick Beighton, Chief Executive Officer and staffed by Mat Dunn, Chief Financial Officer, Mark Holland, Chief Operating Officer and Cliff Cohen, Chief Information Officer.