Rod Manley, Burberry’s chief marketing officer, is set to leave at the year’s end.
- Manley joined Burberry in 2019 after his tenure at Calvin Klein.
- His departure is aligned with a period of declining profits for Burberry.
- Manley collaborated with prominent designers Riccardo Tisci and Daniel Lee.
- Burberry is actively searching for a new chief marketing officer.
Rod Manley, the current chief marketing officer of Burberry, has announced his departure from the luxury fashion brand, with plans to leave by the end of the year. Manley, who has served in this role since January 2019, initially reported to Marco Gobbetti, the then chief executive officer, and more recently to Jonathan Akeroyd, who succeeded Gobbetti in 2021. Prior to his role at Burberry, Manley brought his expertise as executive vice president from Calvin Klein, based in New York.
Throughout his tenure, Manley partnered first with Riccardo Tisci, Burberry’s former creative director, for three years. Following Tisci’s departure, he worked closely with Daniel Lee, also a British-born designer, who is the current chief creative officer of Burberry. This collaboration marked a significant era for the brand’s creative direction.
Manley’s planned exit comes amid challenging financial times for Burberry, with the company reporting a notable 7% decline in sales to £706 million for the 13 weeks ending 30 December, compared to the same timeframe in 2022. In January, Burberry had already indicated that its full-year results would likely fall below initial expectations, putting the brand’s financial performance under considerable scrutiny.
The announcement of Manley’s departure has prompted Burberry to initiate the search for a suitable replacement to lead its marketing strategy. This transition comes at a critical juncture as the brand seeks to realign its marketing efforts and reinvigorate its market positioning.
Rod Manley’s departure signifies a pivotal change for Burberry amidst its current financial challenges.
