2XU Strengthens North American Leadership with Appointment of Aaron Brown

Experienced Under Armour and HydraPak commercial leader joins 2XU as Head of Wholesale & Business Development, North America, as the Australian performance brand enters its next phase of growth.

MELBOURNE, Australia, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Global performance brand 2XU today announced the appointment of Aaron Brown as Head of Wholesale & Business Development, North America, strengthening the brand's commercial leadership across the United States and Canada.

Brown joins 2XU at a pivotal point in the company's development, as the brand builds on a strengthened global foundation and increases its focus on North American expansion.

Over the past two years, following the acquisition of 2XU led by CEO Harry Markl, the business has focused on strengthening its foundations: investing in product innovation, sharpening its performance positioning and returning to the principle that has defined 2XU since its creation — where athlete meets science.

Together with COO/CMO Mathew Hayward, Markl and the leadership team have also strengthened 2XU's Australian home market and built the platform for the brand's next stage of international growth.

Brown's appointment is an important step in that strategy.

As Head of Wholesale & Business Development, North America, Brown will lead 2XU's wholesale and strategic business development agenda across the United States and Canada. His mandate will include strengthening existing retail and specialty partnerships, developing new commercial opportunities and expanding 2XU's presence across the performance sporting goods market.

He will also work closely with 2XU's established network of athletes, sporting organizations and partners as the brand builds greater relevance and visibility across North America.

Brown brings more than two decades of commercial and sporting goods experience to 2XU.

Most recently, he served as Vice President of Global Sales at HydraPak, with responsibility spanning global revenue strategy, sporting goods, run specialty and outdoor retail, OEM partnerships, international distribution and commercial development.

Prior to HydraPak, Brown spent more than a decade at Under Armour, ultimately serving as Director of Sales. His responsibilities included North American commercial strategy and leadership across key and specialty accounts in the United States and Canada, encompassing sales, merchandising, go-to-market execution, marketing, ecommerce, inventory and commercial planning.

That combination of performance brand, specialty retail, wholesale and North American marketplace experience aligns closely with 2XU's ambitions for the region.

"North America represents a significant opportunity for 2XU, but our approach is not about growth at any cost. We want to build the market properly — through great product, great partners and an authentic performance proposition," said Harry Markl, CEO.

"Aaron understands the North American sporting goods landscape, understands specialty and understands how to build long-term commercial partnerships. He joins us at exactly the right point in our journey."

Founded in Melbourne, Australia, 2XU has built an international reputation around technically advanced performance products, with particular authority in compression and triathlon.

The company is now increasing investment behind those foundations while accelerating innovation across compression, triathlon, running and training.

For Hayward, the North American opportunity is about building on the authority 2XU already has rather than attempting to reinvent the brand.

"2XU has something many brands spend decades trying to manufacture — genuine technical credibility," said Mathew Hayward, COO/CMO.

"We have history in triathlon. We have authority in compression. We have athletes who have trusted the product for years. Our job now is to take those foundations, combine them with the next generation of 2XU product innovation and build a much stronger commercial presence across North America."

"Aaron brings exactly the experience we need for that next stage. He knows the market, he knows the customer and, importantly, he understands how premium performance brands and their retail partners can grow together."

Brown said the combination of 2XU's heritage and renewed investment in innovation created a compelling opportunity.

"2XU has an incredible foundation to build from. The brand has genuine credibility with athletes, particularly in compression and triathlon, and there is significant opportunity to introduce the broader 2XU performance proposition to more consumers across North America," said Aaron Brown.

"I'm excited to work with our existing partners, develop new relationships across the United States and Canada, and help build the next chapter of 2XU in this market."

Brown will be based in the United States and will work closely with 2XU's global leadership and North American team.

ABOUT 2XU

Born in Melbourne, Australia, 2XU is a global performance brand built at the intersection of athlete and science.

Since its founding, 2XU has developed technically advanced performance products designed to help athletes prepare, perform and recover, establishing particular authority in compression and triathlon and expanding across running and training.

Today, 2XU products are worn by athletes around the world — from first-time competitors to elite performers — united by the pursuit of greater human performance.

2XU. Human Performance Multiplied.

 

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SOURCE 2XU North America