January 06, 2026 I Appointments
Fender Names Edward “Bud” Cole New CEO
Edward “Bud” Cole
Fender has announced its board of directors has appointed Edward “Bud” Cole as chief executive officer and member of the FMIC board of directors. Cole will serve as CEO-designate effective Jan. 19 and will officially assume the CEO role on Feb. 16. He succeeds Andy Mooney, who will retire from the company following a decade of transformative growth and innovation.
Cole currently serves as president of Fender Asia Pacific (APAC) and brings a multi-decade global career across consumer, lifestyle, luxury and FMCG brands to the role. During his decade-long tenure at FMIC, Cole has shaped some of the company’s most significant growth initiatives, leading the expansion of Fender’s business across 14 countries in the APAC region.
Before joining FMIC, Cole held senior leadership roles across several global lifestyle, luxury and consumer brands, including Pernod Ricard, LVMH, QVC and Ralph Lauren — where he led commercial expansion, brand development and regional strategy across international markets.
Since joining Fender in 2015, CEO Andy Mooney has more than doubled the size of the company and extended Fender’s worldwide leadership in the musical instruments category.
“Leading Fender has been a highlight of my career,” Mooney said. “I’m deeply grateful for the creativity and commitment of the Fender teams around the world and proud of what we’ve accomplished. I’m excited to pass the baton on to Bud and confident that under his leadership, Fender will continue to inspire players for generations to come.”
A lifelong musician, Cole bought his first electric guitar, a Fender Made-in-Japan 1969 Thinline Telecaster reissue, as a teenager and still plays it today.
“To lead Fender is the honor of a lifetime,” Cole said. “This brand has been a part of my life since childhood, and I’m committed to ensuring Fender continues to empower players everywhere, from beginners picking up their first guitar to the artists shaping the sound of today and tomorrow. Together with our global teams, partners, and loyal community of players, we will write the next era of Fender’s history.”
