Dustin Jones, Omnichannel & New Retail pioneer and former Managing Director of Fung Retailing Group and Executive Vice President at Macy’s Inc., and Wall Street veteran Greg Freihofner, former Managing Director of Société General and Senior Vice President at Credit Suisse, officially announce the formation of Unified Commerce Group (UCG), a New Retail acquisition and advisory group designed to drive innovation in the retail industry by acquiring purpose-driven brands and scaling them in the world’s largest retail economies. UCG is finalizing its first acquisition, of Montreal-based, fashion and lifestyle brand, Frank And Oak, and intends to provide it with the necessary resources to expand into new, profitable markets while offering access to UCG’s multi-disciplinary retail experts and vast industry network.
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“In order to succeed within the shifting global retail market, brands must change their way of working to put the consumer at the center of everything they do”
“We’re very excited to announce the launch of Unified Commerce Group and share our innovative approach to brand acquisition and expansion,” said Jones, co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Unified Commerce Group. “While the pandemic has accelerated the disruption the retail industry has been facing, UCG will bring a fresh approach that leads into the future of retail, leveraging our unique platform and deep industry insights to partner with brands that we believe in, and grow and operate those brands on a global scale.”
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“At UCG, we’re interested in acquiring and advising brands that are data-driven, appeal to global consumers and are poised to scale,” said Freihofner, co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer of Unified Commerce Group. “We’re taking a symbiotic approach to brand acquisition by acquiring and investing in brands that have strengths in different areas. By taking this approach, in combination with our extensive network and multi-faceted industry experts, UCG’s platform is looking to ensure the long-term growth and profitability of our brands.”
UCG will focus on three core areas for identifying brands to partner with, including: being purpose-driven, having global appeal, and being advanced in digitization. Frank And Oak, combining style, design, and technology fits UCG’s model perfectly. The brand offers collections of clothing and accessories for men and women that are thoughtfully designed and well suited to meet the lifestyles of its customers.
“In order to succeed within the shifting global retail market, brands must change their way of working to put the consumer at the center of everything they do,” said Elisabeth de Gramont, Chief Brand Officer of UCG. “With the launch of UCG, we’ve created a platform that will design, operate, and scale brands so that they will appeal to consumer audiences on a global level, while ensuring locally relevant execution in the shifting trends of the North American and Asian markets.”
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