Pentland nurtures leading apparel brands in Asia

Standing strong on its family foundation, Pentland Brands has taken leading sports, outdoor and fashion brands to the forefront of global markets. Pentland is the owner of popular brands such as Speedo, Canterbury and Berghaus - all leaders in their respective categories.

Having successfully launched these brands into Asia, Pentland supports its licensees and distributors with more than eight decades of experience to help the brands flourish across the region. "When a brand becomes part of our portfolio, our partners know that we will nurture and invest in its growth," says Andy Rubin, CEO.

Evolving the dynamism of its brand management expertise, the company's partners have branched into e-commerce alongside traditional bricks-and-mortar distribution in Asia. Pentland collaborates with partners in the region by leveraging their local market expertise to bring brands closer to their respective customers.

Pentland is looking to build stronger ties in Asia, where it has well-established partners such as Swire in Hong Kong and Goldwin in Japan. In Southeast Asia, its Mitre football brand has considerable room for growth in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.

Pentland brands, Speedo and its licensed business, Lacoste Chaussures, are thriving on the mainland and leading the company's initiatives to develop its other brands. To this end, Pentland welcomes well-established partners who understand the evolution of consumer lifestyles and tastes in the market.

"We work with partners who are similar in culture and values to us, and who think long term," Rubin says. "We think about what our brands will look like in the next 20 years and how our company will have to evolve to stay strong for future generations."

Asia contributed 19 per cent of Pentland's total wholesale revenues last year. The company aims to increase its Asian revenues to about a third of its business within the next decade.