Brands
Janie and Jack
Linda Heasley was named president and CEO of the clothing and accessories brand Janie and Jack, acquired earlier this year by Go Global Retail from Gap Inc.
Heasley has helped drive growth as the CEO at The Limited, Lane Bryant /Cacique and J. Jill and has served on the board of Sally Beauty since 2017. Currently, 98 percent of the Janie and Jack’s business is domestic, with strong interest developing from the Middle East, the U.K. and Europe.
The children’s wear company has 117 stores along with its online store and more than 800 employees across the United States.
Purple Innovation
Bedding company Purple Innovation Inc. announced that Robert T. DeMartini was appointed as acting CEO and a member of the board of directors.
DeMartini succeeds Joseph B. Megibow, who is stepping down as CEO and a member of the board. Megibow will serve as an advisor to the new CEO to ensure a smooth transition.
DeMartini most recently served as president and CEO of USA Cycling. Prior to that, he was president and CEO of New Balance from 2007 to 2019.
Purple is a digitally native vertical brand that designs and manufactures a variety of branded comfort products, including mattresses, pillows, bedding and frames. The company markets and sells its products through direct-to-consumer online channels, traditional retail partners, third-party online retailers and owned retail showrooms.
Dennis Uniform
Dennis Uniform, a custom school uniform provider, announced that Ann Doyle, former chief product officer at Gap Inc., has joined its board of directors to advise on strategic matters related to product.
Trade
Customs and Border Protection
Chris Magnus was sworn in by Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas as commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
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Magnus becomes the fifth confirmed CBP commissioner since the law enforcement agency’s creation in 2003, following his Senate confirmation last week. Magnus has served as police chief in Tucson, Ariz.; Fargo, N.D. and Richmond, Calif.
He now leads a law enforcement agency of 64,272 men and women. CBP combines customs, immigration, border security and agricultural protection into one coordinated activity. CBP’s enduring mission priorities are counter-terrorism, combat transnational crime, secure the border, facilitate lawful trade and protect revenue, and facilitate lawful travel.
Textiles
Asahi Kasei Fibers
Koji Hamada was appointed as new CEO of Asahi Kasei Fibers Italia.
Hamada has a strong connection to the Italian market, having already spent more than five years in the company’s headquarters working closely with customers in the territory. Bemberg by Asahi Kasei is the brand name of the regenerated cellulose fiber made from the smart tech transformation of cotton linters–short downy fiber enfolding cotton seeds. Its pre-consumer materials are obtained from the manufacturing process of cotton oil that is converted through a traceable and transparent closed loop process taking place in Nobeoka, Japan.
Logistics
FedEx
The board of directors of FedEx Corp. elected Fred Perpall as a director and appointed him as a member of its Audit and Nominating & Governance Committees.
Perpall currently serves as CEO of The Beck Group, and integrated design-build firms. He is also a director of Triumph Bancorp, Inc. and Starwood Property Trust Inc.
Trade Shows
Informa Markets Fashion
Informa Markets Fashion, host to fashion trade events including Project, MAGIC, Coterie and Sourcing at MAGIC, announced today the appointment of Edwina Kulego as vice president of international and business development.
With over a decade of experience in the fashion industry, including launching Informa Markets Fashion’s international development arm in 2016, Kulego brings a specialized background in international and new business development, and demonstrated expertise in the development of omnichannel solutions for the fashion B2B industry.
In this newly developed role, she will oversee all sponsorships and new business opportunities, in addition to international business development. Her teams will focus on generating new market opportunities, strategic projects, and new avenues for commercial expansion for both live events and digital platforms, as well as guiding the company’s international growth strategy across its entire portfolio of brands.
In her most recent role, Kulego was vice president of Liberty Fairs, where she oversaw all aspects of the business.