Iconic basketball brand SLAM announced that Les Green has been selected as the company’s new CEO. Green, who is a former Nike and Spring marketing executive, will serve as SLAM’s second CEO and lead the company’s overall expansion. SLAM is considered the most authentic brand for nearly three decades, which has advanced to become a global lifestyle brand and multi-media property with more than 20 social channels.
“I couldn’t be more excited about this opportunity and leading this team,” said Green on his new job. “When SLAM first started I was just graduating high school, playing ball almost every day, and picking up copies of the magazine from my local 7-Eleven. So the fact that I am now the CEO is something my 18-year-old self would have never believed. There is so much opportunity ahead of us and I feel like my time at an iconic brand like Nike, and an e-commerce startup like Spring, was the perfect combination of experiences to prepare me for what’s ahead for SLAM.”
With the addition of Green, SLAM is double up on SLAM Goods, its fast-growing e-commerce business. The business has grown from a magazine to a global media and lifestyle brand that is growing by the day. In fact, there was a 100% year-over-year revenue growth, and has become profitable. SLAM also brought on board Victory Creative Group, a digital services and experience design agency co-founded by Nike alums, as a strategic investor earlier this year to launch SLAM Canada and help with global expansion.
Green is a leader who has spent more than 18 years building successful and relevant youth brands. He most recently held the position of Vice President of Marketing at Spring, where he led a complete rebranding and web relaunch for the company’s evolution. Green previously was part of the Nike brand marketing organization for more than 10 years. He led the teams that created all marketing initiatives with the position of Senior Director of Marketing for Nike Mexico and Director of Marketing for Nike Africa.
Les is an energetic and principled leader with nearly 20 years of experience in three critical areas – D2C e-commerce, global brand expansion, and establishing a culture of excellence,” shared Peter Robert Casey, CEO of JDS Sports. “There is no doubt that he is best suited to build on our momentum and accelerate SLAM’s growth journey at an exciting inflection point.”
SLAM works with major basketball brands including Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, Foot Locker, Puma. The company also works with non-endemic but fast-growing brands such as eBay, Lexus, and Showtime, to name a few.
