Gozney Appoints Former Chewy CFO as Chairman, Expands Leadership Team to Accelerate Global Growth

The award-winning outdoor cooking brand adds seasoned leaders from Chewy, Amer Sports, Gymshark and Columbia to scale omni-channel expansion and global business growth

BOURNEMOUTH, England and SALT LAKE CITY, June 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Gozney, the design-led outdoor cooking brand, today announced a major expansion of its leadership team to drive its next chapter of global growth.

Mario Marte, former CFO of Chewy, joins as Chairman of the Board, bringing 30 years of financial leadership and business experience to Gozney. Ryan Bateman, former VP of Finance & Operations at Amer Sports, has been named Chief Financial Officer. They are joined by Scott Loeppert as VP of Sales and Steve Hewitt, former CEO of Gymshark, as Strategic Advisor and Investor.

These strategic appointments come as Gozney continues its move from a direct-to-consumer model toward a full omni-channel strategy, scaling its global presence and product innovation efforts.

"Gozney has built something truly special. A brand customers love and products redefining what's possible in outdoor cooking," said Marte. "Having worked on and led high-growth journeys at Hilton and Chewy, I see the same explosive potential here: a clear vision, massive market opportunity, a culture of innovation, and a world-class team. Gozney is just getting started, and I'm excited to join the team as we shape the company's next chapter."

As Chairman, Marte will collaborate closely with Founder & Designer Tom Gozney and CEO Denny Bruce to accelerate Gozney's evolution from a fast-growing challenger brand into a globally recognized household name in outdoor cooking. During his eight-year tenure at Chewy, Marte helped scale the business to a $14 billion valuation following its 2019 IPO. He previously held senior roles at Hilton and American Airlines.

"It's a phenomenal moment for the business to welcome Mario Marte to the board as Chairman," said Tom Gozney, Founder & Designer of Gozney. "From the beginning, I've been focused on surrounding Gozney with world-class executive talent and an exceptional board - and Mario marks a huge step forward on the latter. He brings an outstanding mix of strategic foresight and real operator insight. Having someone of his caliber help shape the next chapter of our journey is a big deal - for me personally and for the company."

Bateman joins Gozney as CFO after a nearly 20-year tenure in finance leadership at Amer Sports Winter & Outdoor Company. Since joining Amer Sports in 2007, Bateman has held numerous senior leadership positions in general management, finance & operations, for both the parent company and several of its highest growth outdoor brands, including Salomon, Arc'teryx, Armada Skis and Atomic. At Gozney, he will oversee financial strategy, operations, budgeting, risk management, and strategic growth initiatives.

"Gozney is an iconic brand entering a pivotal period of growth," said Ryan Bateman, CFO. "The team is doing an incredible job to position themselves as leaders in the outdoor cooking industry and I'm excited to be a part of that future growth and disruption."

Loeppert, formerly of Columbia Sportswear and Salomon, will lead Gozney's retail expansion across North America, focusing on scaling premium wholesale and specialty partnerships. Hewitt will advise on strategic growth, leveraging his experience scaling Gymshark from a startup to a global fitness brand.

These appointments come at a time of transformational growth for Gozney. With more than 200 design patents and registrations, a seven-year innovation roadmap, and expanding market reach in the U.S., U.K., and Australia, the company is poised to lead the next era of outdoor cooking.

For more information, please contact press@gozney.com or visit www.gozney.com/press.

About Gozney:
Gozney is redefining outdoor cooking through innovative, award-winning, design-led pizza ovens that combine commercial-grade performance with everyday ease of use. From their origins in the commercial industry, Gozney has evolved into a global brand trusted by some of the world's most respected chefs. Backed by more than 200 design patents and registrations, Gozney's ovens are engineered for exceptional results—beautifully designed, obsessively crafted, and built to last. With a rapidly growing international community and a category-leading product lineup, Gozney is lighting the fire for a new era of live-fire cooking. Founded by Tom Gozney in 2010. Learn more at www.gozney.com.

Contact and Assets:
Ethan Peck
Global PR & Communications Director
press@gozney.com
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