Looking over his CV now- hoping they were reading the series!
https://www.tennessean.com/story/mo...any-names-jc-curleigh-its-new-ceo/1737836002/
https://www.tennessean.com/story/mo...any-names-jc-curleigh-its-new-ceo/1737836002/
New Gibson CEO
- Thread starter zionstrat
- Start date
RorySquier
Well-known member
Re: New Gibson CEO
Meet the new boss...same as the old boss.
;>)/
Meet the new boss...same as the old boss.
;>)/
Re: New Gibson CEO
Same exact thing popped into my head when I read the thread title.
Meet the new boss...same as the old boss.
;>)/
Same exact thing popped into my head when I read the thread title.
Chris Pile
Well-known member
Re: New Gibson CEO
Already another thread about this...
Already another thread about this...
Re: New Gibson CEO
He certainly has the experience, but not clear how much of a musician-
“As a musician, I have always treasured my Gibson guitars and I have the utmost respect for the iconic Gibson brand and those who choose to play Gibson guitars,” Curleigh said in a statement. “Gibson has been a pioneer of craftsmanship and innovation in musical instruments and has been synonymous with shaping the sounds of generations and genres for more than 100 years. I am very honoured to play a leading role with this iconic brand.”
Curleigh is a newcomer to the musical instruments industry. The Harvard Business School alum has spent the majority of his career leading sportswear brands such as Salomon and KEEN before joining Levi Strauss in 2012.
Here's a rough list of experience-
Gibson Brands, Inc.
President & CEO
Company NameGibson Brands, Inc.
Dates EmployedOct 2018 – Present
Employment Duration1 mo
LocationNashville
Starting November 1st, I will be the new President & CEO of Gibson Brands. I will be responsible for leading the (re)evolution of the iconic Gibson Brand, and its portfolio of music brands. We will establish a new leadership team, combined with an experienced team at Gibson Brands, to rebuild our brands, our business, and our teams. The focus will be on getting back to our core of craftsmanship, quality, and innovation to connect with musicians around the world.
Levi Strauss & Co.
President - Global Brands / EVP Levi Strauss & Company
Dates EmployedJul 2016 – Oct 2018
Employment Duration2 yrs 4 mos
LocationSan Francisco
Responsible for leading the Levi’s Brand, and all of the Brands (Levi’s - Dockers - Signature by Levi’s Strauss - DENIZEN by Levi’s) at Levi Strauss & Company.
Engaged as the President of Global Brands for LS&Co. to leverage the success of re-buil... See more
Levi Strauss & Co.
President - Levi's Brand / EVP Levi Strauss & Company
Company NameLevi Strauss & Co.
Dates EmployedJul 2012 – 2016
Employment Duration4 yrs
LocationSan Francisco
Responsible for leading the Levi’s Brand Globally for Levi Strauss and Company.
Engaged in establishing a compelling vision, building a world class team, and setting the strategic direction - to return the Levi’s Brand back to growth mode and iconic status.
KEEN
President & CEO
Company NameKEEN
Dates EmployedMar 2008 – May 2012
Employment Duration4 yrs 3 mos
LocationPortland, Oregon
Responsible for leading the brand, the business, and the team of an exceptional company that was born this century (2003).
Engaged in all aspects of the company to deliver consistent growth through true innova... See more
Salomon
President & CEO (North America)
Company NameSalomon
Dates Employed2000 – 2007
Employment Duration7 yrs
Responsible for leading the Salomon North America Team into an exciting era of growth with a focus on Freedom Action Sports including Skiing, Snowboarding, Trail Running, InLine Skating, and Surfing.
Education
Saint Mary's University
Saint Mary's University
Degree NameBachelor of Commerce Field Of StudyManagement & Marketing
Dates attended or expected graduation 1986 – 1989
Harvard Business School
Degree NameExecutive Leadership Field Of StudyStrategic Marketing
Dates attended or expected graduation 2007
Stanford Graduate School of Business
Degree NameExecutive Program Field Of StudyStrategic Finance & Planning
Dates attended or expected graduation 2007
Skills & Endorsements
Entrepreneurship
See 117 endorsements for Entrepreneurship99+
Endorsed by Michael Schneider and 4 others who are highly skilled at this
Endorsed by 9 of James 'JC'’s colleagues at Levi Strauss & Co.
Brand Development
See 97 endorsements for Brand Development97
Endorsed by David J. Katz and 17 others who are highly skilled at this
He certainly has the experience, but not clear how much of a musician-
“As a musician, I have always treasured my Gibson guitars and I have the utmost respect for the iconic Gibson brand and those who choose to play Gibson guitars,” Curleigh said in a statement. “Gibson has been a pioneer of craftsmanship and innovation in musical instruments and has been synonymous with shaping the sounds of generations and genres for more than 100 years. I am very honoured to play a leading role with this iconic brand.”
Curleigh is a newcomer to the musical instruments industry. The Harvard Business School alum has spent the majority of his career leading sportswear brands such as Salomon and KEEN before joining Levi Strauss in 2012.
Here's a rough list of experience-
Gibson Brands, Inc.
President & CEO
Company NameGibson Brands, Inc.
Dates EmployedOct 2018 – Present
Employment Duration1 mo
LocationNashville
Starting November 1st, I will be the new President & CEO of Gibson Brands. I will be responsible for leading the (re)evolution of the iconic Gibson Brand, and its portfolio of music brands. We will establish a new leadership team, combined with an experienced team at Gibson Brands, to rebuild our brands, our business, and our teams. The focus will be on getting back to our core of craftsmanship, quality, and innovation to connect with musicians around the world.
Levi Strauss & Co.
President - Global Brands / EVP Levi Strauss & Company
Dates EmployedJul 2016 – Oct 2018
Employment Duration2 yrs 4 mos
LocationSan Francisco
Responsible for leading the Levi’s Brand, and all of the Brands (Levi’s - Dockers - Signature by Levi’s Strauss - DENIZEN by Levi’s) at Levi Strauss & Company.
Engaged as the President of Global Brands for LS&Co. to leverage the success of re-buil... See more
Levi Strauss & Co.
President - Levi's Brand / EVP Levi Strauss & Company
Company NameLevi Strauss & Co.
Dates EmployedJul 2012 – 2016
Employment Duration4 yrs
LocationSan Francisco
Responsible for leading the Levi’s Brand Globally for Levi Strauss and Company.
Engaged in establishing a compelling vision, building a world class team, and setting the strategic direction - to return the Levi’s Brand back to growth mode and iconic status.
KEEN
President & CEO
Company NameKEEN
Dates EmployedMar 2008 – May 2012
Employment Duration4 yrs 3 mos
LocationPortland, Oregon
Responsible for leading the brand, the business, and the team of an exceptional company that was born this century (2003).
Engaged in all aspects of the company to deliver consistent growth through true innova... See more
Salomon
President & CEO (North America)
Company NameSalomon
Dates Employed2000 – 2007
Employment Duration7 yrs
Responsible for leading the Salomon North America Team into an exciting era of growth with a focus on Freedom Action Sports including Skiing, Snowboarding, Trail Running, InLine Skating, and Surfing.
Education
Saint Mary's University
Saint Mary's University
Degree NameBachelor of Commerce Field Of StudyManagement & Marketing
Dates attended or expected graduation 1986 – 1989
Harvard Business School
Degree NameExecutive Leadership Field Of StudyStrategic Marketing
Dates attended or expected graduation 2007
Stanford Graduate School of Business
Degree NameExecutive Program Field Of StudyStrategic Finance & Planning
Dates attended or expected graduation 2007
Skills & Endorsements
Entrepreneurship
See 117 endorsements for Entrepreneurship99+
Endorsed by Michael Schneider and 4 others who are highly skilled at this
Endorsed by 9 of James 'JC'’s colleagues at Levi Strauss & Co.
Brand Development
See 97 endorsements for Brand Development97
Endorsed by David J. Katz and 17 others who are highly skilled at this
Chris Pile
Well-known member
Re: New Gibson CEO
Ain't no thang.
Ain't no thang.
Re: New Gibson CEO
Yeah, stone washed and relic are essentially the same principals, eh?
Seriously, I hope we will all give him a chance- Much of the necessary process work is exactly the same, ie using customer requirements to drive product, messaging and sales.
If he can get those wheels turning, product managers should have far more ammunition to focus on designs, quality and pricing that we will like.
Yeah, stone washed and relic are essentially the same principals, eh?
Seriously, I hope we will all give him a chance- Much of the necessary process work is exactly the same, ie using customer requirements to drive product, messaging and sales.
If he can get those wheels turning, product managers should have far more ammunition to focus on designs, quality and pricing that we will like.
Discharged
New member
Re: New Gibson CEO
Norlin 2.0, the Vengeance.
Mark my words...
/Peter
Norlin 2.0, the Vengeance.
Mark my words...
/Peter
Re: New Gibson CEO
I wonder if it would be better for Gibson to be bought by another MI company...or if there is someone specific we think who would 'take care' of the brand properly. I don't think there is a terrible disconnect from running Levi's vs Gibson...other than the price per unit. Both are brands with a rich history, and one worth protecting.
I wonder if it would be better for Gibson to be bought by another MI company...or if there is someone specific we think who would 'take care' of the brand properly. I don't think there is a terrible disconnect from running Levi's vs Gibson...other than the price per unit. Both are brands with a rich history, and one worth protecting.
Re: New Gibson CEO
Alright buddy, you opened up the door to a preview of the next installment- Do you think the following odds projecting Gibson's future are about right?
30% True Business Transformation
17% Sell of Epiphone and become a small US based boutique
• Gets them out of mass production so they can tighten value points
• Brand strength may allow decent margins
• Overall visibility, mindshare (not on the store walls or in my buddies’ hands) will fall and Gibson will continue to shrink.
• Yamaha and other Asian brands would be extremely interested in this opportunity.
49 %- No real change until acquisition
• Slowly fade (continuing to lose marketshare) until acquisition at the point where the brand has more value than revenue
• Considering that Private Equity is all about getting the money out and not investing in long term process/growth, this is incredibly likely.
• Yamaha and other Asian brands would be extremely interested in this opportunity
4%- Do nothing yet they grow anyway
• The definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.”
• The guitar market is cyclical and Fender and Yamaha are working hard to build new markets (females and young males). Gibson could get lucky riding the brand into the new markets grown by the competition.
• However, the ‘Blockbuster’ model rarely works anymore.
Note that there is the sell Gibson and keep Epi option, but doesn't seem the least bit viable-
I'll post these later as a survey to see if we can get a decent sample-
Alright buddy, you opened up the door to a preview of the next installment- Do you think the following odds projecting Gibson's future are about right?
30% True Business Transformation
- Modernize processes across all lines- learn how to use the Voice of the Customer to drive products, messages and business development.
- The 10 points of change in the Saving Gibson series outline opportunities that maximize ROI potential.
- This isn't rocket science, but you have to know what it is before you can do it- Levis experience in tight margins and optimization increase the likelihood for this scenario.
17% Sell of Epiphone and become a small US based boutique
• Gets them out of mass production so they can tighten value points
• Brand strength may allow decent margins
• Overall visibility, mindshare (not on the store walls or in my buddies’ hands) will fall and Gibson will continue to shrink.
• Yamaha and other Asian brands would be extremely interested in this opportunity.
49 %- No real change until acquisition
• Slowly fade (continuing to lose marketshare) until acquisition at the point where the brand has more value than revenue
• Considering that Private Equity is all about getting the money out and not investing in long term process/growth, this is incredibly likely.
• Yamaha and other Asian brands would be extremely interested in this opportunity
4%- Do nothing yet they grow anyway
• The definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.”
• The guitar market is cyclical and Fender and Yamaha are working hard to build new markets (females and young males). Gibson could get lucky riding the brand into the new markets grown by the competition.
• However, the ‘Blockbuster’ model rarely works anymore.
Note that there is the sell Gibson and keep Epi option, but doesn't seem the least bit viable-
I'll post these later as a survey to see if we can get a decent sample-
Last edited:
justFred
Well-known member
Re: New Gibson CEO
The short answer is...Gibson's #1 priority is to repair the damaged dealer network...a marketing type CEO is the right type to do this...If this doesn't get fixed in a hurry then the next best answer is sell off to Yamaha.
#2 - infinity steps...this marketing CEO must have the brains to see his blind spots and staff appropriately.
The short answer is...Gibson's #1 priority is to repair the damaged dealer network...a marketing type CEO is the right type to do this...If this doesn't get fixed in a hurry then the next best answer is sell off to Yamaha.
#2 - infinity steps...this marketing CEO must have the brains to see his blind spots and staff appropriately.
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: New Gibson CEO
I can see them selling off everything but Epiphone. That simply can't and won't happen. Epiphone has been under the Gibson umbrella for decades and is really the bread and butter division when you look at it. With their price point, they most likely sell a lot more Epiphones than they do Gibsons. And come on, Les Paul's original first guitar was an Epiphone. Too much history there.
They also need to completely re-evaluate their pricing strategy. Yeah, there's inflation, I get that. Part of me wonders of how much of those increases were to help make up for the losses from the other failing divisions.
I can see them selling off everything but Epiphone. That simply can't and won't happen. Epiphone has been under the Gibson umbrella for decades and is really the bread and butter division when you look at it. With their price point, they most likely sell a lot more Epiphones than they do Gibsons. And come on, Les Paul's original first guitar was an Epiphone. Too much history there.
They also need to completely re-evaluate their pricing strategy. Yeah, there's inflation, I get that. Part of me wonders of how much of those increases were to help make up for the losses from the other failing divisions.
Last edited:
Jacew
New member
Re: New Gibson CEO
I've these posts and there's certainly been lot of intriguing and interesting things pointed out.
What I think of about it, getting CEO from Levi's seems like a step to exactly wrong direction. They have marketing and brand well covered as it is. Mostly due to brand(s), but otherwise as well. They just need to live up to it.
What they need at the helm would be engineering and production expertise.
I don't understand why they don't monetize with Kramer. That brand has lot of gravitage even today. Building new production Pacers and Barettas in east at 600-1000 price range seems like no brainer. I'm sure there would be plenty of interest.
Steinberger is just useless for them and should be sold surely.
Here's my thoughts of Gibson and Epiphone brands:
What if they respond to complains of Gibson prices and reduce the price of bread and butter production? And remove import Epiphones as competition by keeping them below that.
Then split the higher end production between Gibson and Epiphone so that Epiphone builds the modern and innovative stuff and Gibson focuses on classics. That's what people want, but hey just seem to refuse accepting it.
That would streamline their catalog quite heavily. Now it's really difficult to understand if you're not Gibson buff. After all I've read I can't say straigth up what are the differences and price points of Heritage, Standard and Traditional for instance... I recognise Studios as cheapest but rest are just LP's to me.
I've these posts and there's certainly been lot of intriguing and interesting things pointed out.
What I think of about it, getting CEO from Levi's seems like a step to exactly wrong direction. They have marketing and brand well covered as it is. Mostly due to brand(s), but otherwise as well. They just need to live up to it.
What they need at the helm would be engineering and production expertise.
I don't understand why they don't monetize with Kramer. That brand has lot of gravitage even today. Building new production Pacers and Barettas in east at 600-1000 price range seems like no brainer. I'm sure there would be plenty of interest.
Steinberger is just useless for them and should be sold surely.
Here's my thoughts of Gibson and Epiphone brands:
What if they respond to complains of Gibson prices and reduce the price of bread and butter production? And remove import Epiphones as competition by keeping them below that.
Then split the higher end production between Gibson and Epiphone so that Epiphone builds the modern and innovative stuff and Gibson focuses on classics. That's what people want, but hey just seem to refuse accepting it.
That would streamline their catalog quite heavily. Now it's really difficult to understand if you're not Gibson buff. After all I've read I can't say straigth up what are the differences and price points of Heritage, Standard and Traditional for instance... I recognise Studios as cheapest but rest are just LP's to me.
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: New Gibson CEO
The problem with making Kramer Pacers and Baretta's in the East and selling them here in the USA, especially at the price point mentioned (600-1000), is I can go and get a used Vintage Kramer from the 80's that is made in the USA for less than that. Gibson already tried this with the Baretta Classic and Pacers and they simply aren't selling. I don't see them anywhere and have seen a couple Pacers at GC only because that store snagged some up from a local guitar show. As a vintage Kramer enthusiast and owner of an 80's Baretta, I can tell you that the recent offerings are nothing compared to the old ones. And I'm not saying that because Gibson did it or anything like that. They simply don't have the mojo. The Pacers felt dead and the one Baretta Classic I got to play felt all wrong. IMO, the Kramer brand needs to be sold to a group that gives a crap about it or let it die.
The problem with making Kramer Pacers and Baretta's in the East and selling them here in the USA, especially at the price point mentioned (600-1000), is I can go and get a used Vintage Kramer from the 80's that is made in the USA for less than that. Gibson already tried this with the Baretta Classic and Pacers and they simply aren't selling. I don't see them anywhere and have seen a couple Pacers at GC only because that store snagged some up from a local guitar show. As a vintage Kramer enthusiast and owner of an 80's Baretta, I can tell you that the recent offerings are nothing compared to the old ones. And I'm not saying that because Gibson did it or anything like that. They simply don't have the mojo. The Pacers felt dead and the one Baretta Classic I got to play felt all wrong. IMO, the Kramer brand needs to be sold to a group that gives a crap about it or let it die.
Jacew
New member
Re: New Gibson CEO
The same thing applies to all guitars really. And the fact it didn't worked the first time might be simply due to poor execution. Ibanezes and esps sell well. Why wouldn't Kramer?
They are also quite rare in used market around here. Don't know about usa.
The same thing applies to all guitars really. And the fact it didn't worked the first time might be simply due to poor execution. Ibanezes and esps sell well. Why wouldn't Kramer?
They are also quite rare in used market around here. Don't know about usa.
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: New Gibson CEO
But Ibanez and ESP are known for being made in Japan, Korea, etc. The Kramer models mentioned, Pacers and Barettas, were USA models. There were also the Focus models (F2000 and F1000) made in Japan and of course Strikers made in Korea. The thing with Kramer now is with Gibson's latest efforts, they were trying to push it back in to a market that has already been saturated by Ibanez, ESP/LTD, Charvel/Jackson. That and they simply didn't advertise them well at all. But still, Kramer had been out of the game for a number of years before Gibson bought the brand. They've tried twice to resurrect it without any real success (MusicYo and then the more recent effort). That's why they need to sell the brand to a group that cares and is willing to do it right with a USA line or put it out to pasture. Sad to say, but in my opinion, Kramer's glory days are long passed. I'll take a vintage Kramer or a Gary Kramer model before anything else recent with the name on it.
But Ibanez and ESP are known for being made in Japan, Korea, etc. The Kramer models mentioned, Pacers and Barettas, were USA models. There were also the Focus models (F2000 and F1000) made in Japan and of course Strikers made in Korea. The thing with Kramer now is with Gibson's latest efforts, they were trying to push it back in to a market that has already been saturated by Ibanez, ESP/LTD, Charvel/Jackson. That and they simply didn't advertise them well at all. But still, Kramer had been out of the game for a number of years before Gibson bought the brand. They've tried twice to resurrect it without any real success (MusicYo and then the more recent effort). That's why they need to sell the brand to a group that cares and is willing to do it right with a USA line or put it out to pasture. Sad to say, but in my opinion, Kramer's glory days are long passed. I'll take a vintage Kramer or a Gary Kramer model before anything else recent with the name on it.
