Ciele Athletics names new global head of sales

Canadian performance running brand Ciele Athletics has appointed industry veteran Corey Stecker to lead its global sales strategy as it continues to drive international expansion and innovation.

Stecker, who has extensive experience in the outdoor and performance apparel industry, having held key roles at brands such as Altra, Smartwool, Icebreaker, and The North Face, joins Ciele Athletics as its global head of sales.

In his new role, Stecker will lead the brand’s global sales strategy, oversee key accounts and drive growth across retail and international markets.

“Ciele has long been on my radar. The combination of category-leading innovation, meticulously crafted thoughtful design and a cult-like community, wrapped up in B Corp discipline, is a powerful recipe,” said Stecker in a statement. “In a sea of emulators, Ciele continues to stand out as a true innovator. When an opportunity arises to join a brand with this much potential and energy across its entire team, you drop everything and dive right in. It’s going to be fun to amplify that momentum across the specialty landscape.”

His appointment comes as Ciele Athletics prioritises enhancing service and support for wholesale partners to grow the brand internationally. The Montreal-based brand is looking to collaborate with top-tier regional agencies that can “bring the brand to life through a holistic approach” spanning sell-in, sell-through and awareness.

Ciele has expanded its network of sales agency partners recently, as it looks to strengthen its presence and accelerate growth across key markets in the US and Canada. Recent additions include Waypoint Outdoor and Henry Sports Group, joining an established roster of North American agencies, including Mike Shewchuk (BC, Canada), Myriad Sales (ON, Canada), Agence Stephane Baltazar (QC, Canada), Luke Jay (Intermountain US) and Steven Kapes (Midwest US).

The running brand also recently expanded into Latin America with a new distribution partnership with Run The World, and in July, the Canadian brand launched in China through an exclusive partnership with Topsports, one of China’s leading sports retail operators.

Jano Arabaghian, chief executive of Ciele Athletics, added: "We’re excited to have Corey join Ciele Athletics at a defining moment of growth and momentum. More people than ever are discovering the brand as we continue to expand across North America and around the world.

“His experience, leadership, and genuine passion for what we’re building will help us build on that momentum while staying true to the community, purpose, and creative energy that define Ciele.”

Ciele Athletics, founded in 2014 by Jeremy Bresnen and Mike Giles, offers high-performance, durable and lightweight headwear and apparel collections designed for runners. Its products are available in over 1,300 stores across 43 countries.