Percival bolsters board to lead brand strategy and business growth

British menswear brand Percival, looking to double sales figures and expand international growth, has appointed Cheryl Calegari as non-executive chair and Dan Rookwood as a board director to bolster its investment group VGC Partners board.

In a statement, Percival said that the Calegari and Rookwood bring a wealth of experience and will be instrumental in leading brand strategy and business growth alongside the menswear brand’s senior management team, led by chief executive Christopher Gove.

The move is part of Percival’s brand ambition to become synonymous with menswear globally, offering a direct-to-consumer platform that “delivers accessible uniqueness to every man’s wardrobe”. During 2023, the brand has set ambitious goals to double sales figures by focusing on expanding product categories and international growth.

Commenting on the appointments, Gove said: “We are delighted to have Cheryl Calegari and Dan Rookwood supporting us on our growth journey, their wealth of brand and industry knowledge working with market-leading retail businesses is a huge asset to our team.

“They are both great additions to our board and will help us drive and deliver our forecasted business performance for 2023 and beyond.”

VGC Partners appoints two new board members to grow menswear brand Percival

Calegari is currently an independent consultant and advisor, supporting brands and striving to make a positive impact on their business, people, culture and customers, and has most recently been advising high-growth brands Therabody and luxury sneaker retailer Kick Game with a focus on marketing strategy and business development. Her previous roles include being vice president of marketing for Beats By Dre and senior director of global brand marketing at Converse.

“Percival is a brand that truly disrupts the norm with a considered design aesthetic, collaborations and product innovation and Percival’s ambitious growth journey,” said Calegari. “Throughout my career, I have helped lead transformational brand building, iconic creative, cultural connectivity and business results and look forward to championing this next chapter.”

While Percival adds that Rookwood brings “an abundance of fashion and brand industry knowledge,” and has been working with Percival’s investment group VGC Partners since June 2022 as head of brand supporting VGC’s portfolio to elevate all aspects of their brand and marketing strategies. His previous experience includes leading Nike’s editorial team globally, as well as being the US editor at Mr Porter and style director of Men’s Health.

On his new role, Rookwood added: “I’ve been a brand fan of Percival’s since the very beginning, and I made the initial introduction to VGC years ago. I’ve enjoyed seeing the brand’s success, especially since VGC invested, but now to have the opportunity to be a part of that success as a director is a privilege and a pleasure. With my background in menswear and brand building, I’m excited about what I can bring to the table to help Percival fulfil its potential.”