Allbirds hires new chief financial officer
She will succeed Mike Bufano, who will be stepping down from Allbirds and will remain with the company through mid-May to ensure a 'smooth transition'
Allbirds has appointed Annie Mitchell, as chief financial officer, effective April 24, 2023.
She will replace Mike Bufano, who will be stepping down from Allbirds but will remain with the company through to mid-May to ensure a “smooth transition”.
Mitchell is an experienced finance executive in the retail industry and joins Allbirds from Gymshark, where she is wrapping up her role as vice president of Finance and Insights.
Prior to that, she spent 10 years at Adidas where she held various positions within the finance organisation, including most recently as senior vice president of finance (CFO) of Adidas North America.
Mitchell also spent a decade in finance and planning functions of other consumer and retail businesses, before joining Adidas.
Mitchell said: “I have long admired Allbirds both as a consumer and executive in the footwear industry. I am thrilled to join Allbirds at this pivotal moment and see a significant opportunity ahead for value creation. As the company embarks on its transformation, I look forward to working with the entire Allbirds team to chart a clear path for profitable growth and shareholder value creation.”
Joey Zwillinger, co-chief executive officer, added: “We are excited to welcome Annie to Allbirds. Annie brings significant finance expertise, strategic planning capabilities and deep experience at a range of consumer companies including a strong understanding of the footwear industry. Her skills and leadership capabilities are an outstanding fit as we embark on our strategic transformation to reignite growth and drive profitability.
“I also want to thank Mike for his significant contributions to Allbirds over two important years for the Company. Mike was instrumental in our 2021 public offering, as well as building strong processes and an outstanding finance team.”
Mr Bufano said: “Allbirds is a special company with a unique mission, so this was not an easy decision on my part. I appreciate how Joey, Tim, and the board have been working closely with me in a highly collaborative way to facilitate a seamless transition to Annie and support the company’s strategic transformation. I’m proud of all that we have accomplished over the last two years and I look forward to working with our finance team to ensure a smooth transition and following the company’s success through its next chapter.”
