As general manager of Reebok Pacific, Ashley Sampson is responsible for growing the footwear brand’s presence in Australia, New Zealand and beyond through store expansion, clinching major partnerships and nurturing the local team. Here, we speak with Sampson about his journey from the shop floor to the head office, and how he is upskilling himself as a leader. Inside Retail: Tell me about your career journey. How did you get into the retail industry, and what are some of the different ro
ent roles you’ve held along the way?
Ashley Sampson: After spending a number of years in the UK working at Urban Outfitters, I came back to Melbourne and fell in love with the then market-leading streetwear brand Mooks, which was owned by Globe International at the time. I successfully applied for a casual position in their famous Chapel Street store before following a pathway into store management.
Once I’d earned my stripes in the retail business, I moved into the corporate office and cut my teeth in sales, being trained up as the key account manager for a number of Globe brands in the Myer business. I continued this journey when I moved to Adidas where I fulfilled a number of senior sales roles before taking on the leading merchandise role for the Reebok brand. When Adidas sold Reebok in 2022, I was honoured to come across to Brand Collective as general manager to take the brand into its next chapter.
IR: What are some of your career highlights so far, and what do you love about your job?
AS: Working for brands like Reebok and Adidas has afforded me some bucket-list moments which I’ll forever be grateful for. Bringing the founder of Reebok, Joe Foster, out to Australia for a number of events earlier this year would definitely be a major highlight.
The thing I’m most proud of is the team I’ve been able to build at Reebok over the past year and the culture we’ve created as we’ve set the brand up in a new environment. Reebok partnering with Australia’s National Basketball League, being able to travel to numerous parts of the world, meeting Stan Smith, hosting brand partners at AFL Grand Finals would also be up there.
IR: What are some of the key leadership lessons you’ve picked up over the course of your career?
AS: A key lesson that’s stuck with me, that wish I’d realised earlier is that true, meaningful growth is really uncomfortable. Staying the course through a crisis, taking a risk that doesn’t work out, having tough conversations and taking accountability for mistakes builds valuable experience and fosters the resilience required to survive-and-thrive when faced with adversity.
IR: Where do you go for career advice?
AS: Podcasts can be great to help gain perspective on career direction; however, there’s so many out there it’s difficult to know where to start and this can be overwhelming. I prefer face-to-face, real-life conversations with mentors and role models I’ve come across over the course of my career. My current manager has been a strong mentor over the past 10 years and has heavily influenced the direction my career has taken. I also work with a corporate coach to develop my leadership skill set which has added enormous value to my own professional growth.
IR: What does a typical day look like for you?
AS: As Reebok continues to grow under Brand Collective, my day-to-day focus involves many aspects including retail expansion and property discussions, strategic planning for the long-term and meetings with key wholesale partners. Keeping time free to spend one-on-one with my team is also really important and I ensure I stay true to this.
IR: What’s your approach to work-life balance?
AS: Setting work-life boundaries is critical and it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle-and-bustle of business. I make sure I get home by a certain time each night to see my kids before bed and will (mostly) keep my weekends free as I’m most-certainly held accountable as a Dad when Saturday rolls around.