Cotopaxi taps Damien Huang as president

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
May 25, 2022

Outdoor gear brand Cotopaxi announced on Tuesday the appointment of its first-ever president, Damien Huang.

In this new executive position, Huang will help drive strategy, operations, and execution across the C-suite and organization. The position is focused on brand development, impact giving, and elevating consciously designed and manufactured products. He will report and work alongside CEO and founder, Davis Smith.

"We are elated to name Damien to our team. He's an incredibly talented individual with an authentic passion for our mission to fight extreme poverty. His position as president is integral to the next stage of growth for Cotopaxi," said Smith. "Cotopaxi has always been first and foremost about people, and Damien's diverse experience in both business and leadership are skills that we trust he will deftly apply at Cotopaxi." 

Huang joins Cotopaxi from outdoor brand, Eddie Bauer, where he was CEO. He is credited for rebuilding and repositioning the brand in the outdoors space, establishing its sustainability roadmap, and launching the 'First Ascent' line, winning the brand more than 50 industry awards. He simultaneously led the company through a merger, acquisition, and then the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as guided its transition towards a digitally-driven business. 

Prior to this, he held positions at Patagonia as VP of design and merchandising, and almost a decade at The North Face in product focused roles.

"To say I'm excited to join Cotopaxi would be an understatement," said Huang. "Every once in a while a company comes along that is not only new and different, but has an energy, a soul, and a purpose that makes an organization remarkable. I'm deeply inspired by what Davis and the team have built, impressed by the leaders at Bain Capital Double Impact, and honored to help push the company forward”

Cotopaxi announced its intention to search for a president in December 2021, as a result of the brand's growth. It has nearly doubled its revenue every year since its founding in 2014. Smith led the charge for the search and hiring process.

Most recently, Cotopaxi also named Marissa Magno as VP of people and inclusion. The carbon-neutral brand is also committed to making all of our gear using repurposed, recycled, or responsible materials by 2025.