CEO David Obadia leaves Sporty & Rich

David Obadia, the global CEO and managing director of lifestyle and activewear brand Sporty & Rich, has announced his departure after seven years with the company to “pursue new projects.”

Since joining the company in 2018, Obadia has been responsible for design, collection development and production. In addition, sales, wholesale and retail, e-commerce management and the entire brand strategy also fell into his area of ​​responsibility. He played a key role in developing the brand from a small, independent label into a globally known lifestyle brand.

Under his leadership, Sporty & Rich achieved seven consecutive years of double-digit annual revenue growth. The company expanded its presence to more than 200 retailers worldwide and opened flagship stores in major cities such as New York and Los Angeles in the United States and Shanghai and Seoul in Asia. The brand also launched highly acclaimed collaborations with labels such as Adidas, Lacoste, Clarks Originals, Le Bristol and the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc and expanded into the beauty sector.

In a statement, Obadia said he was proud of the brand’s achievements during his tenure. Sporty & Rich will continue to operate under the creative direction and leadership of Emily Oberg, who founded the company in 2014. Sporty & Rich originally started as an Instagram mood board while Oberg was still working at Complex in New York. The brand then evolved into a lifestyle magazine in 2016 before launching its first clothing collection in 2019.

Upon his departure, Obadia stated, “It has been a pleasure working with Emily Oberg for the past seven years and I am eternally grateful for this partnership. She has a unique talent and I am sure she will take Sporty & Rich to the next phase in the near future.”