Eli Kumekpor Appointed as Next Mitchell & Ness CEO
Today, Mitchell & Ness, a leading provider of high-quality vintage and lifestyle sports apparel, announced the appointment of Eli Kumekpor as the organization’s next Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Mitchell & Ness, a premium brand that sits at the intersection of sports, culture, lifestyle, and fashion, is a part of the Fanatics Commerce business. Eli will be based in Irvine, California, and report to Joe Bozich, Fanatics’ CEO of Vertical Brands.
Eli brings over 20 years of strategic brand-building, financial, and operational expertise to Mitchell & Ness. He most recently held an executive-level role with Nike, serving as Global Vice President and General Manager of the Jordan Brand’s prominent Men’s business. In his role, he led the strategy and execution that accelerated the growth for this multibillion-dollar omnichannel business.
In addition, Eli served as Co-Chair of the Nike Black Employee Network and was a member of the Nike Black Community Commitment Taskforce, a select group of executives responsible for leading the organization’s $140M commitment to black communities.
"Eli has an incredible background that includes several years leading one of the world’s most progressive, beloved brands. He is the perfect leader to take Mitchell & Ness, an iconic lifestyle and culture brand, to the next level, as well as bring an elevated product mindset to everything Fanatics designs and makes," said Bozich.
"Eli will be focused on combining Mitchell & Ness’ momentum as a leading provider of high-quality vintage and lifestyle sports apparel with the power of the larger Fanatics platform and network, creating new avenues for significant growth for the brand."
@NickDePaula
Fanatics acquired Mitchell & Ness in 2022 alongside a strategic ownership group comprised of some of the most prominent names in sports, entertainment, and business. Since that time, the brand has added new rights across several leagues, colleges, and players associations, including a new league-wide licensing deal with the NHL, and an expanded headwear and throwback jersey catalog with MLB.
"For generations, Mitchell & Ness has sat at an incredibly unique crossroads weaving sports, culture, lifestyle, and fashion, and I couldn’t be more excited to be in this position to usher in the next era of such an iconic brand," said Kumekpor.
"I’ve long admired what Mitchell & Ness means to our culture at large, and I look forward to working closely with the team and the broader Fanatics organization to grow our presence and uncover new opportunities to deliver increased value to our fans and partners around the world."
Prior to Nike, Eli spent more than a decade in the healthcare industry, with leadership positions at AstraZeneca, Alcon, Life Technologies, and Cigna. Eli also spent several years in the strategy and operation practice at Deloitte Consulting, specializing in M&A Strategy.
Additionally, Eli is a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces and received his MBA in Finance from Indiana University's Kelley School of Business and his BA in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin. Eli sits on the Board of Directors of Chicos FAS (NYSE: CHS). Eli replaces former Mitchell & Ness CEO Kevin Wulff, who will be retiring on September 1.
