Partner Article

EZ Shopnet International appoint new Chief Executive

A director of EZ Shopnet International has been appointed the new Chief Executive of the booming e-commerce business.

Ray Evans, who has already signed up some of Europe’s top football clubs during nearly three years as a director of the business, officially started his new role last week.

The company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong Kong-based PNH group, operates e-commerce football merchandising across the Asia Pacific region on behalf of the world’s best supported teams.

EZ’s parent company, PNH group, was established in 1987 by Chairman Mr Perhson Wong, who began manufacturing football shirts for the Manchester-based Umbro brand in 1987 when Umbro supplied shirts to almost every leading team globally.

Evans, a former MD of Kitbag.com, will drive EZ Shopnet International forward by taking advantage of the huge – and growing - passion for English and European football in the Far East.

At the same time, e-commerce is growing faster in the region than anywhere else in the world.

Evans said:

“The love of football in Asia Pacific increases phenomenally, every year, with a huge fan base and an enormous consumer market.”

“The opportunity for football e-commerce in Asia is incredible and my 11 years at the forefront of the football e-commerce revolution building the Kitbag business in the UK and Europe is the ideal platform on which to build our strategy in this region.”

“In China alone we have a bigger consumer market than the whole of America and Europe put together and that’s aside from the rest of the Asia Pacific region.”

EZ operates the e-commerce businesses across Asia Pacific for Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, AC Milan, Paris Saint Germain, Shalke 04, The English FA and has recently launched both Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund for the 2016/17 season.

In May 2016, EZ established another first in China opening an official football club store on behalf of Liverpool FC on JD (Jing Dong) Worldwide, the largest direct to consumer e-commerce retail platform in China.

“The appointment of Ray Evans as CEO of PNH is a tribute to his expertise and experience. I have worked with Ray for several years in different capacities and have always enjoyed working with him,” added GM of FC Barcelona Merchandising Andre Vasterman.

Business growth is set to double in 2016/17, with planned expansions at EZ Shopnet International’s Hong Kong HQ where 70 people are employed, and at its distribution centres in Hong Kong and mainland China.

Evans said the business is poised take advantage of “very vibrant territory” in the Asia Pacific region for fans of the English and European game.

He added: China’s President Xi Jinping has already spelled out the Country’s ambition to be a “world football superpower” by 2050 and aims to develop a national team capable of winning the World Cup. President Xi Jinping, a football enthusiast, wants the country to have at least 20,000 football training centres and 70,000 pitches in place by 2020.

Evans believes EZ is very well positioned to support all aspects of this phenomenal growth in football across China.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sports Tours International .