Babolat Hires Tim McCool to Oversee Babolat USA

Babolat, a leading manufacturer of tennis products, has hired Tim McCool as the new Managing Director of Babolat USA.

After a five-month long intensive recruiting and interviewing process, Tim McCool has been hired to oversee the US sales and marketing operations of Babolat.

McCool has helped build and shape some of the most renowned brands in the sporting goods industry including Nike, where he worked intensively on the 1984 Olympic Campaign and later on key account sales; and eventually Adidas where as Director of US Sales, he was an integral part of repositioning the brand back to its heritage roots as a performance brand.

Most recently, McCool served as CEO for Le Coq Sportif NA. Building the business from scratch, he created the US sales force and integrated distribution and third party channels focused in the fashion and tennis business.

“Great brands require great discipline,” says McCool. “And for over 135 years, the Babolat brand has been committed to tennis, to the specialty industry and to performance. That commitment will continue well into the future. And 2009, in particular, will be an exciting year as we prepare for a significant launch that will allow Babolat to grow market share, meaning more things to more people within the tennis specialty community.”

Eric Babolat, president and CEO of Babolat commented, “The US is the largest tennis market in the world, so needless to say, this is a very important geography for us. Tim is a high caliber veteran in the industry. With his extensive executive experience in brand and business building along with sales and marketing in the sporting goods sector, we’re confident Tim can help grow the Babolat brand in this country.”

Founded in Lyon, France, in 1875, Babolat is the first company to have specialized in racquet sports and the world leader in the production of natural gut strings.

Easily recognized by its trademark “double-line” (two stripes on the racquet frame and black on the stringing bed), Babolat is still family-owned. Today, with U.S. operations in Boulder, Colorado, the company also manufactures synthetic strings, shoes, and a full range of accessories as well as a best-selling line of racquets used by some of the most renowned names in tennis.

To find out where Babolat products are sold, log on to www.babolat.com.