Former Superdry COO joins German activewear brand as CEO

Superdry’s former chief operating officer (COO) is to take on the top job at Berlin-based activewear brand Oceansapart.

Silvana Bonello’s departure from Superdry was announced by the high street retailer earlier this week, days after the company confirmed plans it was looking to secure fresh financing amid its ongoing turnaround strategy.

Now Oceansapart has announced that Bonello will be joining the brand as chief executive officer and joint managing director in the second half of 2023.

Founded in 2018, Oceansapart is a German activewear brand carrying a range of shapewear, including leggings, bras, loungewear, sweat wear, and accessories, primarily targeting Gen Y and Gen Z women.

The company serves customers in the DACH region, France, Italy, Poland, and Spain.

In her new role, Bonello will work with the brand’s leadership team “to implement its next-stage growth strategy focused on delivering trendy and functional athleisure products to its customers to support empowered women focusing on diversity and inclusivity”.

She succeeds Henry Brodski, Oceansapart’s CFO and managing director, who has been standing in as interim CEO since the company’s founders handed over responsibility to its management team last year.

Brodski is credited with having “successfully shaped the set-up of the company’s strategy during its current growth phase”, which included the opening of Oceansapart’s first off-line pop-up store in Nürnberg. He will remain at the company as joint managing director.

Incoming CEO Bonello joins Oceansapart from Superdry, where she served as COO since 2021, during which time she played a key role in the company’s ongoing transformation strategy.

Prior to joining Superdry, she spent two years at Vans as vice president of planning and operations, and 18 years at Nike, most recently as marketplace operations director.