Backcountry names new global CFO
The outdoor retailer has appointed Girish Satya, formerly of the PE firm that owns Backcountry, to lead finances for Backcountry’s global portfolio of brands.
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Park City, Utah-based outdoor retailer Backcountry has bolstered its C-suite with a key addition to oversee the financial performance of both Backcountry and its sister portfolio brands.
Backcountry pulled from the bench of its own private-equity investor, TSG Consumer Partners, by appointing Girish Satya as CFO of its global portfolio of brands, which includes Backcountry, Bergfreunde, Competitive Cyclist, Motosport, and Steep & Cheap. Most recently, Satya served as a principal at TSG. In that role, he worked closely with Backcountry, which has been owned by the PE firm since 2015.
“Girish brings tremendous value to Backcountry’s leadership team,” said Backcountry CEO Melanie Cox following the announcement. “His institutional knowledge and sharp financial mind will be a great asset to support Backcountry’s continued growth.”
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Satya joined TSG in 2016. He previously led the firm’s portfolio operations group, where he helped scale several digital brands, including Backcountry and Canyon Bicycles.
“I’m excited to continue partnering with Melanie and the leadership team at Backcountry in this new role,” Satya said. “The combination of accelerating e-commerce tailwinds and increased participation in outdoor recreation will benefit Backcountry’s online native business model. Backcountry’s unique culture and global scale will position us well to continue pursuing new and innovative ways to engage our passionate customer base.”
Satya has years of PE experience. Earlier in his career, he served as CFO for The Bay Club Co., where he doubled the size of the business and led the successful exit from KSL Capital to York Capital. He has held senior financial and operations roles at several other private equity-backed businesses, and he serves on the board of Canyon Bicycles, another TSG-owned brand.
It’s yet another C-suite move for Backcountry, which has undergone several leadership changes in the last couple of years. In June 2020, the company appointed Cox to CEO, replacing Jonathan Nielsen, and Sarah Crockett to the newly created role of chief marketing officer.
