Textiles
Milliken & Company named Steve Layton president of its newly acquired Polartec business, known for its innovative performance textiles for outdoor and military apparel.
Layton will head the integration process, bringing Polartec’s global portfolio of fabric technologies for outdoor apparel–including performance-driven and consumer-focused textiles, and flame-resistant, workwear and military fabrics–into Milliken. In addition, he will be tasked with the ongoing management of the business, ensuring operational success in manufacturing and furthering innovation to develop textile solutions that benefit Polartec brand customers and end users.
Layton joined Milliken in 2012, most recently serving as vice president of sales and marketing for the Westex by Milliken flame resistant textiles business.
Retail
Moda Operandi
Moda Operandi hired Ming Yang as managing director for China. Ming will act as Moda Operandi’s first employee in China, growing the company’s Shanghai team and overseeing all of Moda Operandi’s business strategy and operations in mainland China.
Ming reports directly to CEO Ganesh Srivats. She comes to Moda Operandi with experience introducing major e-commerce and marketplace businesses to the Chinese market, most recently having served as managing director for Greater China and APAC at Farfetch.
Prior to that, she served as the China country manager for ShopRunner Inc., chief digital officer at Best Buy China and vice president of consumables at Amazon China.
Moda Operandi said while it has served the Chinese customer for years, Ming’s appointment represents its official entry into the region, as it builds out its strategy, operations, marketing and personal styling programs from Shanghai. Moda’s platform carries more than 1,000 brands and designers, and ships to 125 countries.
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Ascena
Ascena Retail Group announced the resignation of two of its board members, Steven Kirshenbaum and Marc Lasry.
The board of directors has approved a reduction in the size of the board from 12 to 10 directors. Ascena is a national women’s specialty retailer operating apparel, shoes and accessories for women under the Ann Taylor, Loft, Lou & Grey, Lane Bryant, Catherines, Cacique, Dress Barn and Justice nameplates, and through e-commerce sites.
Trade
Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg
International trade, customs and export law firm Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg announced that Paula Connelly will join on July 1, helping to establish the firm’s Boston office.
Connelly has more than 25 years of experience in customs and international trade law, including eight years with the Law Offices of Paula M. Connelly, a firm specializing in customs and international trade matters.
Connelly serves as legal counsel for the Boston Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association, vice president of the Coalition of New England Companies for Trade, a member of the AD/CV working group for U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee, and a member of the International Business Advisory Board at Massachusetts Maritime.
Logistics
The Supervisory Board of Deutsche Post AG appointed Oscar de Bok to succeed John Gilbert as a member of the Board of Management, effective Oct. 1.
De Bok was most recently CEO of DHL Supply Chain Mainland Europe, Middle East and Africa. Gilbert decided to leave the company for personal reasons.
Gilbert became a board member in 2014 and is credited with driving the 2020 strategic agenda that focuses on standardization and operational excellence, and laid the foundation for a smart warehousing approach.
De Bok joined Deutsche Post DHL Group in 1999 after its acquisition of Nedlloyd, where he was in various roles including sales and project management. He rose to managing director of DHL Supply Chain for several countries and regions, such as Italy, the Nordics and Southeast Asia.