Teva president Carlo Lingiardi puts his cards on the table. By Thomas J. Ryan

Carlo Lingiardi calls himself a "turnaround specialist" and he believes he has his hands full as the new president of Teva. "It's a great brand that definitely needs rejuvenation and energy, and I think it can become a much, much bigger player than it is," he says.

>Linguardi, who began working at Teva in August, was previously VP and GM of Tecnica USA, in charge of the hiking and after-ski footwear categories. From 2000 to 2003, he was VP of sales and operations for Geox USA, responsible for establishing the brand in the U.S. He initially found his footing in the outdoor apparel and footwear industry at W.L. Gore & Associates where he spent nine years.

Lingiardi's hiring is part of an ongoing transformation at Deckers Outdoor Corp., Teva's parent. The corporate changes began with the hiring of Angel Martinez?previously CEO of Keen footwear and a long-time exec at Reebok?in April as Deckers' president and CEO. Lingiardi seems to have the same gung-ho attitude as Martinez.

"Angel is not the kind of guy who is going to be content with driving 10, 20 or 30 percent growth," notes Lingiardi. "He has big, audacious goals, and I am the same way. We're going to address product, we're going to address distribution, and we're absolutely going to get behind our brand."

Here, Lingiardi discusses Teva's plans to ramp up its product and marketing, and he offer insights on the competitive sandal category.



SGB: Why did you take the job at Teva?

LINGIARDI: It's got to do with my personality and character. I love challenges, and in my personal and professional life, I've been able to recognize good ones when I see them. Teva is definitely a challenge.



SGB: What are Teva's problems?

LINGIARDI: First and foremost, the product hasn't changed. It's been the same for way too long. This company really hasn't invested in new product innovation, in building a brand according to traditional methods, and it hasn't managed its growth. For me, it's not that complicated once you can see a situation from the outside. I guess that's why I call myself a turnaround specialist. First and foremost, we've got to come out with new product that's exciting and that people want to buy again.

Number two, we absolutely have to start investing in this brand. Every brand has good years and not-so-good years. But if you have a strong brand and you stand for something that's not just a product or a look, your consumer will support you in the not-so-good years.

Finally, the international business is practically non-existent. We have really big brand awareness in the U.S., but