Brands
Levi Strauss
Levi Strauss & Co. announced that Roy Bagattini, executive vice president and president for Levi Strauss Americas, is leaving the company to assume a group CEO position. Bagattini’s last day is Feb. 16.
With Bagattini’s departure, Marc Rosen, executive vice president and president of Direct-to-Consumer, will become the executive vice president and president for Levi Strauss Americas. Rosen will be responsible for leading the company’s largest commercial operations, spanning all brands and channels across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil and the balance of Latin America. He also will retain leadership of the Direct-to-Consumer business.
Timberland
VF Corp. announced that Jim Pisani decided to step down from his role as global brand president of Timberland.
Pisani plans to move to the Midwest to be closer to his family. He was appointed to the current post in August 2016.
Pisani joined VF in 2008 as president of the Licensed Sports Group, which included the Majestic brand. Prior to VF, Pisani held successive leadership roles in branding, merchandising, sales and marketing at PepsiCo and Kraft Foods. A search for Pisani’s replacement is underway.
In the meantime, Scabbia Guerrini will serve as acting global brand president for Timberland. Guerrini, who has overseen the Timberland brand globally since January 2018, will partner closely with Pisani during the transition period to ensure seamless continuity in the brand’s global operations.
Hanesbrands
Hanesbrands announced that chief accounting officer and controller M. Scott Lewis will serve as interim chief financial officer (CFO). Lewis has served in his current capacity since May 2015.
Executive recruiting specialist Crist|Kolder Associates is assisting the company in the ongoing comprehensive search to fill the previously announced CFO vacancy. In its CFO search, Hanesbrands is considering internal and external candidates with significant experience and accomplishments in global strategy, finance, capital management and operations support.
Retail
National Retail Federation
The National Retail Federation (NRF) announced that Mike George, president and CEO of Qurate Retail Inc. was elected chairman of the NRF board of directors. George replaces BJ’s Wholesale Club chairman and CEO Christopher Baldwin, who has served since January 2018.
In addition, three new members were elected to the board–Vitamin Shoppe Inc. CEO Sharon M. Leitte, Ralph Lauren Corp. president and CEO Patrice Louvet, and Vera Bradley president, CEO and director Robert Wallstrom. Louvet will also be a member of the board’s executive committee.
Target
Target Corp. announced today the retirement of Janna Potts, executive vice president (EVP) and chief stores officer, who has been with the company for 30 years, serving in a variety of leadership roles.
Most recently, she played a critical role as the lead architect in the successful rollout of an entirely new operating model for Target’s nearly 1,900 stores. Potts will remain with the company in an advisory role until May 1.
Mark Schindele has been named to succeed her. He also will join Target’s leadership team.
Schindele has been with the company for nearly 20 years, most recently serving as its senior vice president of properties.
Additionally, the retailer announced that it is formalizing the interim structure it announced for its merchandising organization in October with the appointment of Christina Hennington to EVP and chief merchandising officer for hardlines, essentials and capabilities, and Jill Sando to EVP and chief merchandising for style and owned brands. Hennington and Sando will also join Target’s leadership team and will collaborate closely with Stephanie Lundquist, Target’s EVP and president of food and beverage, on the development and execution of a unified merchandising strategy.
Hudson’s Bay Company
Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) appointed Iain Nairn as president of Hudson’s Bay. He reports directly to CEO Helena Foulkes.
Most recently, Nairn was CEO of kikki.K, a global Swedish design and stationery business, with 102 namesake stores and e-commerce. Previously, he was CEO of David Jones, an Australian department store chain.
Hudson’s Bay operates 89 full-line locations and thebay.com, carrying assortments of fashion, beauty, home and accessories brands, as well as exclusive food concepts.
Citi Trends
Citi Trends announced that Stuart C. Clifford, senior vice president and CFO, plans to retire effective March 29.
As part of the succession planning for Clifford’s retirement, Jason B. Moschner has been promoted to vice president of finance. Moschner joined Citi Trends in June 2017 and has served in several roles in the company’s finance organization, most recently as director of finance.
The company has initiated a search for a new CFO and will consider both external and internal candidates. Citi Trends, a value-priced retailer of urban fashion apparel and accessories for the entire family, operates 566 stores located in 33 states.
Payless ShoeSource
Payless ShoeSource emerged from voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy and appointed a new executive management team.
The new team is led by CEO Jared Margolis, who previously served as president of licensing agency CAA-GBG. Payless Latin America, the company’s largest current business unit, will be led by Justo Fuentes as LATAM CEO. Fuentes previously served as president of BATA Latin America, where he supervised the operation of more than 1,000 stores, e-commerce, catalog and wholesale distribution, as well as manufacturing.
Coupang
Coupang announced that HL Rogers joined the South Korean e-commerce company as senior vice president of administration. In his role, Rogers will focus on instilling a system that attracts the best talent in order to contribute across every aspect of the company.
Prior to joining Coupang, he served as executive vice president and chief ethics and compliance officer at Millicom Inc., a lobal telecommunications company. Before that, Rogers was a partner at international law firm Sidley Austin LLP, where he represented individual, corporate and government clients in compliance issues and complex litigation.
Coupang is South Korea’s largest online retailer, with annual revenues topping $4 billion.
Logistics
RightHand Robotics
RightHand Robotics, a provider of autonomous robotic picking solutions, announced that Larry Chin, formerly of Rockwell Automation, joined the company as head of sales.
Chin will leverage his successful track record in leading automation technology companies to sustainable growth and profitability. He joins RightHand with more than 20 years of sales, business development, and marketing experience in the industrial automation, machinery and life science markets.
In his most recent role, he served as global sales manager and head of commercial operations for the Independent Cart Technology business unit at Rockwell Automation, which he joined via their acquisition of MagneMotion in 2016.
RightHand Robotics builds a data-driven intelligent picking platform, providing flexible and scalable automation for predictable order fulfillment in sectors such as apparel, electronics, apparel, grocery and pharmaceuticals.
Trade Shows
Tranoi
Tranoi appointed Constance Dubois as director of marketing and communication.
Dubois will take charge of marketing and communication for Tranoï events starting Feb. 28 and will report directly to Boris Provost, president of Tranoi. She will join the management committee and help the trade show’s repositioning and redevelopment strategy.
She succeeds Diane Lepel Cointet, who wanted to devote herself to new projects.
Dubois began her career as a project manager at the communication agency Self Image. In 2001, she joined the Galeries Lafayette group as communication manager for department stores. She integrated the team at Prêt à Porter Paris trade shows in 2009 as deputy director of communication, before being appointed director of communication of the Fédération Française du Prêt à Porter Féminin in 2011.
Held four times annually, Tranoi bills itself as the premier B2B event of Paris Fashion Week.
Trade
Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg
Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg (ST&R) announced the addition of three experienced professionals in response to the increasing demand for international trade services stemming from today’s unprecedented policy uncertainty.
David Thomas will join as a member of the firm, Elizabeth Chiavetta will be part of the auditing team and paralegal Ingrid Jernudd will support the trade remedies practice.
As an attorney and lobbyist, Thomas will advise and represent clients on international trade issues before Congress and the executive branch, as well as assist on issues related to customs rules, policies and procedures. Previously, he served as chairman of Trade for America, vice president for trade policy at Business Roundtable, trade counsel for the House Ways and Means Committee, and a lobbyist and lawyer in private practice.
Chiavetta expands ST&R’s auditing team. Most recently, she served as director of audit policy at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, where she oversaw three branches within Regulatory Audit’s Audit Policy Division.
Jernudd is also joining ST&R’s Washington, D.C., office, where she will support a trade remedies practice fully engaged in helping companies mitigate their exposure to Section 301 tariffs, antidumping and countervailing duties, and other measures.
