Business news: Mizuno Appoints VP, Brand Marketing

Mizuno USA, Inc. has hired Ahmet Abaci to serve as the company’s new vice president of brand marketing & management. With over 22 years of national and global brand marketing experience, Abaci will assume duties immediately, overseeing Mizuno USA’s Brand Marketing Department, with an emphasis on enhancing brand development through consumer engagement strategies that champion Mizuno’s uncompromising commitment to product craftsmanship, innovative design, and ultimately performance.  Abaci will also serve as a member of Mizuno USA, Inc.’s Management Team.

“Over the past several years Mizuno USA has grounded its overall growth strategy in a commitment to consumer-facing brand marketing, as evidenced by the development of our Brand Marketing infrastructure, as well as the selection of agency partners.  We’ve experienced tremendous success as a result of the great work they’re doing,” said Bob Puccini, president Mizuno USA, Inc., and chairman, Mizuno Canada, Ltd.  “The recent strides we’ve made in this area are only the beginning for Mizuno, and Ahmet will provide us invaluable insight and leadership in communicating our unyielding commitment to quality and performance through compelling brand stories across our various product divisions.”

Ahmet joins Mizuno USA, Inc. armed with an extensive background in global consumer-product marketing for some of the world’s most successful companies, including Kimberly Clark Corporation, Bausch & Lomb and SSL International PLC. Most recently, Ahmet served as Vice President of Marketing for SSL International’s Americas region, where he was responsible for leading and developing brand strategies in the United States, Canada and Latin America.  When the company relocated operations outside of Atlanta, Ahmet made the personal and professional decision to move into global strategic advisory services, providing his wealth of expertise and counsel to a variety of leading consumer product manufacturers, including CIBA Vision / ALCON.

Prior to his duties at SSL International, Ahmet spent three years at vision care leader Bausch & Lomb, as Director of Strategy. Abaci’s leadership in developing overall business strategies for the company’s OTC eye care and vitamin businesses contributed significantly to driving record sales.

Prior to Bausch & Lomb, Ahmet enjoyed a successful 11-year term with consumer products giant, Kimberly Clark Corporation where he held various US and global marketing leadership roles overseeing major brands such as HUGGIES and KOTEX.

“I’m thrilled to enter a new and totally unique chapter in my career, with a company that has so much untapped potential in terms of engaging consumers with its unequaled brand heritage and promise,” said Ahmet. “There’s an incredible sense of motivation that comes through Mizuno’s unparalleled history of craftsmanship and its steadfast commitment to helping athletes achieve their dreams.”

Ahmet received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Engineering from Bogazici University in Istanbul, Turkey and an MBA from the respected Simon Graduate School of Business at the University of Rochester in New York.  Ahmet, his wife, and their two children reside in nearby Atlanta, GA.