Retail
Neiman Marcus Group
Neiman Marcus Group (NMG) announced investments in talent, merchandising, technology and supply chain that will reshape the Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman customer experience.
To accelerate the growth of NMG’s unique loyal luxury customer base, the company is grouping technology, digital products and advanced analytics under one leader, and deploying capital to invest in these areas.
Bob Kupbens will join as executive vice president and chief product and technology officer on Feb. 1 reporting to NMG CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck. Kupbens brings a strong track record of elevating customer experiences at Apple, eBay, Delta and ADT where he held multiple senior roles overseeing e-commerce, digital products and technology.
He will partner with David Goubert, president and chief customer officer of Neiman Marcus; Darcy Penick, president of Bergdorf Goodman, and Lana Todorovich, president and chief merchandising officer of Neiman Marcus, to develop new digital products and capabilities that enhance store, online and omnichannel experiences at both brands. Kupbens will also accelerate the ramp up of NMG’s advanced analytics capabilities, scale personalization of customer experience to a broader set of customers and curate the personalized assortments.
NMG is also creating a new general manager of brand partnerships and merchandising role in the Neiman Marcus brand, led by Paolo Riva. Riva has extensive experience in luxury senior global roles, last serving as CEO at Victoria Beckham and supporting senior global roles at Valentino, Diane von Furstenberg, Ferragamo and Tory Burch. Riva reports to Todorovich.
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Abercrombie & Fitch
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. appointed Holly May as its chief human resources officer.
In this role, May leads the company’s global human resources function and strategy, including talent management and leadership development, diversity and inclusion, compensation and benefits, and all other facets of organizational, talent and culture building initiatives. She reports to CEO Fran Horowitz.
May joins Abercrombie & Fitch from Starbucks, where she served as the senior vice president of global total rewards and service delivery. In that role, she was responsible for consulting with the Starbucks board of directors and the executive leadership team on the strategic direction of Starbucks’ global compensation and benefits portfolio.
NRF
The National Retail Federation (NRF) hired Scot Case as vice president for corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability.
Case joins NRF with more than 25 years of CSR and sustainability experience consulting with a vast array of retailers and their suppliers, supporting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency voluntary environmental labeling programs like Energy Star, WaterSense and Safer Choice, and advising federal agencies and state and local governments on their sustainability initiatives.
NRF also announced the addition of six members to its board of directors. Each will serve a two-year term until January 2023.
They are Ray Allen, co-founder, Grown; Brian Cornell, chairman and CEO, Target Corp.; Tyson Cornell, partner and U.S. consumer markets leader, PwC; Michelle Gass, CEO, Kohl’s Inc.. Kimberly Smith, founder, Marjani, and Colleen J. Taylor, president, merchant services–U.S., global merchant and network services, American Express.
Brands
Authentic Brands
Authentic Brands Group announced a slate of executive promotions as it continues to position itself for sustainable and scalable growth around the world.
The addition of new brands including Forever 21, Brooks Brothers and Lucky Brand have boosted the value of the company’s global brand portfolio, which now generates more than $14 billion in global retail sales annually.
In support of its growth and business goals, ABG has strategically re-aligned key areas of its organizational structure, putting emphasis on four key regions, including the U.S. and Canada, LATAM, EMEA and APAC. As part of this shift, ABG has also reorganized its Lifestyle and Entertainment Business Units to support the recent infusion of new brands into its portfolio and its heightened focus on innovation in digital, e-commerce and brand experiences.
Jarrod Weber was named group president for Lifestyle and chief brand officer. Weber is a senior leader and brand strategist with over 15 years of experience in apparel, consumer products, retail, entertainment and licensing.
Natasha Fishman was appointed chief communications officer and executive vice president (EVP) of marketing for Lifestyle. Fishman is a valued industry executive with over 20 years of experience in entertainment brand management, marketing, digital and retail business development, having worked with Iconix Brand Group, Mattel and HIT Entertainment. In her new role, Fishman will be the chief communicator of company culture, values and beliefs, and expands her oversight to include responsibility for revenues related to strategic retail and go-to-market initiatives. As EVP, marketing, Lifestyle, Fishman continues to lead marketing for ABG’s lifestyle portfolio.
In his new role as chief digital officer, Adam Kronengold will be leading ABG’s digital team. Kronengold will champion digital strategy and innovation across ABG as the company continues its ongoing mission to innovate and expand its digital footprint. Throughout his tenure at ABG, Kronengold has pioneered a digital-first approach to brand marketing, including the development of Winston, ABG’s proprietary influencer network, and Cerebro, ABG’s data capture platform.
Andy Lew was named president of Lifestyle for APAC and EMEA. A new addition to the team, Lew joins ABG from Brooks Brothers, where he previously served as president of International, Wholesale and Uniform and Group senior vice president (SVP) and CEO for APAC.
Marc Rosen was promoted to president of Entertainment. Rosen steps into a leading role through which he will spearhead the development of ABG’s Entertainment division, including the growth of ABG’s West Coast headquarters and oversee the Icons, Living Legends, and Media brands. Prior to joining ABG in 2014, Rosen began his career at Weil, Gotshal and Manges as a corporate attorney before joining Civic Entertainment Group to work on strategic consulting projects for leading media companies.
Patricia Canavan was named EVP for Lifestyle-LATAM. Canavan joined ABG from VF Corp. as part of the Nautica acquisition in 2018, where she oversaw licensed partnerships in both product categories and international distribution.
Dana Carpenter was appointed EVP of Entertainment–U.S. and Canada. Prior to joining ABG in January 2016 as vice president of Juicy Couture, Carpenter served as director, International Retail Licensing, at Wolverine World Wide.
Naushaba Moeen was named EVP for Lifestyle–U.S. and Canada. Moeen joined ABG from VF Corp. in April 2018 as part of the Nautica acquisition and assumed the role of business unit manager, Lifestyle.
David Sherman was named EVP and deputy general counsel. Sherman joined ABG in March 2018, bringing with him over a decade of experience at Katten Muchin Roseman LLP, and has since become an integral member of the Legal team.
Ron Zofnat was appointed EVP for Entertainment–International. Zofnat joined ABG’s Business Development team in January 2017 as a senior director and has since risen consistently within the International group.
Bridgette Fitzpatrick was named SVP and associate general counsel for intellectual property. Fitzpatrick is a distinguished senior executive with over 20 years of experience in intellectual property, trademarks and licensing, having spent 24 years at Hearst before joining ABG in August 2014.
Jovana Granzan has become SVP for operations. Granzan joined ABG’s finance team in March 2015 as accounting manager and was promoted to assistant controller in 2016.
Joe Rosenbaum was named SVP of human resources. Rosenbaum first joined ABG in April 2019 as vice president of human resources, bringing with him over 20 years of experience in organizational development from Argyle Executive Forum, Altour International and American Girl.
Columbia Sportswear
Columbia Sportswear Company appointed Skip Potter to the role of executive vice president and chief digital information officer, effective April 1.
In this newly created role, reporting directly to chairman, CEO and president Tim Boyle, Potter will be responsible for leading Columbia’s global technology organization, where he will play a pivotal role in evolving the company’s digital footprint and omnichannel and supply chain capabilities across the enterprise.
Most recently, Potter spent four years as Nike’s chief technology officer, where he led a global organization of 2,000 digital and e-commerce technology team members.
Textiles
Applied DNA Sciences
Applied DNA Sciences Inc. promoted chief information officer (CIO) Judith Murrah to the role of chief operating officer.
The promotion formalizes Murrah’s expanding range of responsibilities that includes the development of key customer and partner relationships, quality assurance oversight and operations management. Murrah has been instrumental in the undertaking of capacity expansions for pooled Covid-19 surveillance testing at the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Applied DNA Clinical Laboratories and for the ongoing implementation of current good manufacturing practices at LineaRx, a majority-owned subsidiary of the company.
Murrah joined Applied DNA in 2013 as CIO and has served as the company’s secretary since 2017. Applied DNA is a provider of molecular technologies that enable supply chain security, anti-counterfeiting and anti-theft technology, product genotyping and pre-clinical nucleic acid-based therapeutic drug candidates.
Unifi
Unifi Inc., a manufacturer of recycled and synthetic yarns, announced the election of Emma Battle to its board of directors.
Battle is currently president and CEO of MarketVigor, a business services company she founded in 2003, and is the president and CEO of Higher Ed Works, a nonpartisan public charity supporting public higher education in North Carolina.
She has spent the past 20 years as a leader in B2B, B2C, digital and e-commerce marketing, and has over 30 years of business experience in marketing, operations and strategy at various companies, including Hanesbrands Inc., PepsiCo Inc. and Red Hat Inc.
Logistics
FedEx
FedEx Corp. announced that Henry J. Maier, president and CEO of FedEx Ground, will retire, effective July 31.
John A. Smith, president and CEO, FedEx Freight, will succeed Maier as president and CEO of FedEx Ground, and Lance D. Moll was named the next president and CEO of FedEx Freight.
Maier joined FedEx in 1986. With more than 40 years in the transportation industry, including more than 35 years at FedEx, he held a series of leadership positions in logistics, sales, and marketing before becoming president and CEO, FedEx Ground, in June 2013. Most recently, Maier spearheaded the significant transformation of FedEx Ground, ensuring its strong position in reliably and efficiently serving the growing e-commerce market.
Smith will become president and CEO-elect, FedEx Ground, effective March 1, and will assume the role on June 1. Maier will remain at FedEx Ground as an executive advisor through July to help ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities.
Smith has more than 35 years of experience in the transportation industry and joined FedEx in 2000. He has served in several leadership positions, including senior vice president, operations, FedEx Freight.
Lance Moll, current senior vice president of operations for FedEx Freight, will take over as the operating company’s president and CEO on March 1. Lance has nearly 30 years of experience in the transportation industry. He began his career at FedEx Freight in 1992 and has held leadership positions of increasing responsibility throughout the U.S. domestic operations network.
Financial
Pay Cargo
Pay Cargo appointed Michael White to its board of directors as the payments network for the global supply chain industry continues to grow and reach new markets.
White brings more than 25 years of experience in the air freight sector, having held senior positions at Frontier Airlines, United Airlines, Cargo Service Center, the Air Transport Association, Sky Link USA, Cargo Network Services, and most recently as the founder and president of Trade Network Consultants.
In 2020, Pay Cargo received a $35 million investment from global venture capital and private equity firm Insight Partners to expand global adoption of its electronic payments network and accelerate investments in its market-leading technology.
Gordon Brothers
Gordon Brothers, a global advisory, restructuring and investment firm, named Tobias Nanda as president of brands.
Based in Boston, Nanda is responsible for developing and executing Gordon Brothers’ brand investment strategies through acquisition and lending in all global markets. He has nearly 20 years of experience leading deals, serving on boards of directors and actively working with management teams in private equity to develop and implement their corporate growth strategies.
Prior to leading Gordon Brothers’ brand investment strategies, Nanda held senior positions at several private equity firms and was vice president of GB Merchant Partners at Gordon Brothers.
Gordon Brothers values, acquires, resurrects and invests globally to maximize intellectual property and help revive and reimagine brands. The firm’s most recent global transactions include the acquisition of the Laura Ashley brand from its U.K. administrators, bridge financing for American retailer Brooks Brothers, a secured term loan facility to global brand Mothercare and the sale of British brand Bench to Wraith, an affiliate of Apparel Brands Limited.
Fashion
Delivering Good
Delivering Good, which supports people affected by poverty and tragedy through new merchandise donations from retailers and manufacturers, announced the appointment of seven new members to its board of directors.
Gordon Bell, Monica Bertran, Sashi Brown, Kenneth Downing, Charisse Ford Hughes, Jeanette Nostra-Katz and Emily Olah join the 34 other industry leaders on the nonprofit’s board.
Bell is executive vice president for the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation established by Bobby Kennedy and Jacob Javits in 1967 as America’s first Community Development Corporation. Bertran is the head of Bloomberg’s Corporate Communications Digital Platforms and Innovation team.
Brown is chief planning and operations officer of the basketball properties at Monumental Sports & Entertainment, including the NBA’s Wizards, WNBA’s Mystics, G-League’s Go-Go and 2K League’s Wizards District Gaming. Downing is chief creative officer for international retail developer Triple Five Group, where he is responsible for reinventing the retail experience for the group’s properties through architectural and interior design, advertising and marketing campaigns, public relations, and special events.
Hughes became global chief marketing officer for Kellogg Company in September 2020. Nostra-Katz is a senior advisor for the G-III Apparel Group and serves on the company’s board. Olah is senior director at Olah, Inc., where she directs and oversees all production aspects of the Kingpins denim trade shows, as well as the events department.
Since 1985, Delivering Good has distributed more than $2 billion of new clothing, home goods, toys, furniture, books and other consumer products through its network of more than 800 community partners.