Founder and CEO
Sabo Strategic Partners International
Marla Sabo has worked extensively internationally from the world of luxury retail to private equity and finance. Her firm, SSPI, focuses on Strategic Advisory and Investment Counsel to global businesses and the private equity industry, both pre- and post-transaction.
Previously she was partner in Fireman Capital Partners, a private equity firm with investment in a middle-market consumer growth and buyout portfolio. She served on the Investment Committee, and under her oversight as lead partner investments resulted in top quartile performance. She served as strategic advisor to the portfolio, including as chairman of the board of Skip Hop; director of Canarchy, the eighth largest craft brewer in the US; and Vice Chairman of the board of Serena and Lily.
Sabo brings a wealth of operating experience to her career in finance. She held the post of President and COO of Christian Dior, with responsibility for implanting the brand as it is known today in the Americas. She led a highly capitalized expansion over five years, and during her tenure the brand quintupled in revenue and became firmly placed as one of the top luxury brands in the world today. Prior to Dior she served as SVP of Hermes Americas, and as SVP/chief merchant for the European and American designer businesses at Saks Fifth Avenue. Her New York City career began at Bergdorf Goodman.
Sabo completed her BSEd in French/secondary education at IUP in 1979, and also completed continuing studies at the Universite de Paris-Sorbonne in 1984.
She currently serves on the advisory board of Planet, a portfolio company of Eurazeo Capital, Paris. She is a trustee of several charitable organizations, including the Contemporary Arts Council of the Museum of Modern Art, the Luxury Education Foundation, and the New York Landmarks Conservancy. She is a past trustee of the Foundation for IUP.
She was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2007, and received the Hall of Distinction Award, Eberly College of Business in 2012.
She resides in Manhattan.