Gunnar Rethfeldt
About Gunnar Rethfeldt
Gunnar Rethfeldt serves as the Senior Vice President of Operations at Tapestry, where he has worked since 2019. With over 20 years of experience in operations and strategic planning across multiple countries, he is recognized for building high-performing teams and overseeing logistics optimization for major brands.
Current Role at Tapestry
Gunnar Rethfeldt serves as the Senior Vice President of Operations at Tapestry, a position he has held since 2019. In this role, he oversees logistics optimization to meet global demand for major brands, including Kate Spade and Coach. He also manages Tapestry's Supply Operations team in Singapore. Rethfeldt has led the implementation of Integrated Business Planning at Tapestry, effectively addressing recent supply challenges.
Previous Experience at Coach
Rethfeldt has extensive experience at Coach, where he held several key positions. He worked as the Vice President of Production Planning and Costing from 2013 to 2016 in Hong Kong. He then served as the Senior Vice President of Planning & Logistics from 2016 to 2017 in Singapore. Prior to these roles, he was the Deputy Vice President of Costing from 2011 to 2013 in New York.
Career Background at adidas
Rethfeldt's career includes significant roles at adidas. He began as a Junior Controller from 1998 to 2001 in Herzogenaurach, followed by a position as Corporate Controller from 2001 to 2002 in the Portland, Oregon Area. He later served as Head of aSIS Controlling from 2002 to 2004 in Hong Kong, and as Head of Footwear Costing from 2008 to 2011 in Hong Kong. He also held the position of Head of Sourcing Operations from 2005 to 2008 in Hong Kong.
Education and Professional Development
Gunnar Rethfeldt has a strong educational background. He studied Business & Administration at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, earning a Diplom from 1992 to 1998. He also attended Uppsala universitet, where he achieved a University Certificate through the European Community scholarship from 1994 to 1995. In 2017, he completed a Leadership Development Program at The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, which lasted for 11 months.
Leadership Style and Expertise
Rethfeldt is recognized for building high-performing teams, emphasizing honesty, clarity, structure, and teamwork. He possesses over 20 years of progressive working experience across five different countries, showcasing a unique blend of expertise in operations, strategic planning, project management, finance, and sales. His passion for athletics complements his leadership style, fostering effective team dynamics.