GPA Global has appointed veteran luxury packaging executive Anne Marie Shulman as Vice President, Luxury Packaging, North America, a newly created role focused on growing the company’s luxury packaging and gifting business in the U.S. and Canada.
Shulman brings more than 20 years of experience in luxury packaging, with a strong track record of helping brands develop distinctive packaging solutions and building long-term client relationships.
“Luxury packaging is part of the product experience. It protects what’s inside, but it also tells the customer something about the brand from the moment they see it,” Shulman said. “GPA already has deep experience helping luxury brands create that kind of experience, and there’s a real opportunity to build on it in North America.”
GPA created the new position as part of a broader push to build a major luxury packaging and gifting business in North America. Shulman will initially focus on growing GPA’s presence in the jewelry and watch markets, helping brands tap into GPA’s extensive design, manufacturing, supply-chain and logistics capabilities.
“Anne Marie brings something that is difficult to replicate: deep knowledge of the luxury market, long-standing customer relationships and a very practical understanding of how packaging actually gets made,” said Robert Lingham, Global Commercial Director at GPA Global. “She understands the creative side, but she also understands factories, materials, quality, cost and logistics. That combination makes her exactly the kind of leader we wanted to build this business for GPA in North America.”
One of Shulman’s first priorities will be introducing jewelry, watch and luxury brands to GPA’s broader packaging and gifting capabilities, along with North American production, its international manufacturing and supply-chain network, and luxury expertise developed in Europe.
“There’s a lot that GPA can bring to luxury brands beyond an individual packaging project,” Shulman said. “The combination of North American production, global capabilities and the experience GPA already has in luxury creates a strong platform for growth in North America.”
Shulman brings hands-on experience across the full packaging process, from development, custom materials and prototypes through factory sourcing, quality control, manufacturing and logistics. Earlier in her career, she served as Vice President of Sales for the Packaging Division at the Kalencom Corporation.
During more than 20 years in luxury packaging, Shulman has worked with brands and retailers including Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Chopard, Gucci, Mikimoto, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman. Her experience also extends into apparel, handbags, accessories and luxury retail, and she has worked across North America, South America and Europe.
That experience has given her a close view of how luxury brands are using packaging, gifting and presentation to stand out in an increasingly competitive market.
“Luxury brands are always looking for ways to make the experience feel more distinctive,” Shulman said. “We’re seeing continued interest in premium packaging and presentation, along with more attention to sustainable options. Those are areas where there’s a lot of opportunity.”
Jewelry and watches will be the initial priorities, but GPA plans to build a broader North American luxury business over time. Beyond those initial sectors, Shulman will help shape GPA’s strategy for the luxury market and lead the effort to build its luxury business for long-term growth.
“What attracted me to GPA was the ability to offer customers much more than an individual box or bag,” Shulman said. “We can work with a brand on design and development, manufacturing, gifting, displays, supply and logistics, and we can do that with production capabilities in North America and a global network behind us. That gives me a much broader set of solutions to bring to customers I already know and to new brands we want to work with.”
Learn more at www.gpaglobal.net.