Retail
Walmart
Walmart announced that John Furner will become the president and CEO of Walmart U.S., effective Nov. 1, following a successful five years for the business segment under Greg Foran.
Furner reports to Walmart president and CEO Doug McMillon. Foran, who is taking a role as CEO at Air New Zealand Limited, will stay on with Walmart through Jan. 31 to ensure a smooth transition.
Furner started with Walmart as an hourly associate in 1993, working part-time in the garden department of a supercenter. He worked his way up through a number of frontline leadership roles, later becoming a store manager, district manager and buyer. He has held leadership roles in operations, merchandising and sourcing in Walmart U.S., Sam’s Club and Walmart International, where he served at Walmart China as chief merchandising and marketing officer. Prior to becoming Sam’s Club CEO in 2017, he was chief merchandising officer for Sam’s Club.
Furner will partner with Walmart U.S. E-commerce CEO Marc Lore, who also reports to McMillon, to deliver a seamless omnichannel experience for Walmart’s U.S. customers.
Foran has served as CEO of Walmart U.S. since August 2014. The company will announce Furner’s successor at Sam’s Club at a later date.
Target
Target Corp. named Michael Fiddelke as executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective Nov. 1.
In this role, Fiddelke will be responsible for financial planning and analysis, financial operations, internal audit, accounting, investor relations, treasury, tax and risk. He will also oversee Target’s Financial and Retail Services, which includes guest relations and management of its financial products, including Target RedCard.
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In more than 15 years at Target, Fiddelke has served in a variety of roles across finance, merchandising, human resources, and operations. Most recently he was senior vice president (SVP) of operations, leading numerous cross-functional enterprise initiatives spanning merchandising, supply chain, stores and guest experience.
As previously announced and to ensure a smooth transition, Cathy Smith will begin serving as a strategic advisor on Nov. 1. She will remain in that capacity until May 1.
Target also announced the resignation of its chief merchant, Mark Tritton. With this departure, Christina Hennington and Jill Sando, two Target executives with deep expertise and nearly 40 years of combined experience with the company, will assume interim leadership of the retailer’s merchandising organization.
In January, Target named Hennington and Sando SVPs and general merchandising managers, reflecting their expanded responsibilities with the company. Hennington and Sando will report directly to CEO Brian Cornell.
Kohl’s
Kohl’s announced that Bruce Besanko has decided to retire from Kohl’s at the end of the fiscal year and will step down from his position as chief financial officer (CFO), effective Nov. 1.
At that time, Jill Timm, Kohl’s executive vice president (EVP) of finance, will be promoted to CFO. Besanko will remain in a senior advisor role until he departs the company to assist with the CFO transition and provide support for current company initiatives.
As CFO, Timm will oversee Kohl’s financial planning and analysis, investor relations, financial reporting, accounting operations, tax and treasury. She will report directly to Michelle Gass, Kohl’s CEO.
Timm joined Kohl’s in 1999, holding progressive leadership positions across several areas of finance, most recently as EVP of finance.
Taubman Centers
Taubman Centers Inc. announced that Peter Sharp resigned as president of Taubman Asia. Sharp had held the position since January 2017.
Paul Wright, EVP and global head of leasing, will be promoted to president of Taubman Asia, effective Jan. 1. Wright is relocating to Hong Kong and will then report to Taubman chairman, president and CEO Robert Taubman.
Wright currently reports to the company’s chief operating officer (COO), William Taubman. After the transition, William Taubman will maintain ultimate responsibility for the global leasing function, continuing the company’s legacy of developing and leasing best-in-class retail assets that are the most productive in the publicly held mall sector.
Wright joined Taubman Asia in 2006 and was promoted to his current role and began working at Taubman’s Bloomfield Hills, Mich., office in early 2017.
Taubman Centers is an S&P MidCap 400 Real Estate Investment Trust engaged in the ownership, management and leasing of 26 regional, super-regional and outlet shopping centers in the U.S. and Asia.
Mackage
APP Group, known for its Mackage outerwear brand, named Guy Sommerhalder as the company’s COO.
In this newly created role, Sommerhalder will be leading the company’s operational strategy that is projected to continue expanding in the years to come. The announcement comes as the company recently opened new stores in Hong Kong and London, as well as new showrooms in New York and Paris, while bridging the operations with Mackage’s new European office based in Munich.
Sommerhalder will oversee critical business functions, including logistics and distribution, information technology, sourcing and production, and global demand planning.
Brands
Sequential Brands
Sequential Brands Group announced that Karen Murray stepped down as director and CEO of the company as it conducts a broad review of strategic alternatives focused on maximizing shareholder value that could include divestiture of one or more existing brands, acquisition of one or more new brands, a stock buyback program or other initiatives.
Murray will continue to serve as senior advisor and assist the company on strategic opportunities. The board has begun a search to identify the company’s new CEO. Chad Wagenheim, EVP of strategic development and operations, was promoted to president to assist during this transition period.
Sequential Brands Group owns, markets and licenses a portfolio of consumer brands in the fashion and active categories.
Nester Hosiery
Nester Hosiery, a U.S. manufacturer of performance merino wool socks, promoted Katie Kumerow to director of sustainability.
For the past four years, Kumerow has been developing and driving sustainability programs for Nester Hosiery as sustainability manager. She oversaw Nester Hosiery becoming the a Bluesign System Partner and managed the company’s engagement with the HIGG sustainability reporting index.
In her new role, Kumerow will join the company’s leadership team and will be responsible for the company’s corporate social responsibility initiatives, overseeing supply chain compliance, government affairs, stewardship and outdoor advocacy. She will also continue to be a part of the manufacturing supervisory team.
Located in Mount Airy, N.C., Nester Hosiery operates state-of-the-art knitting, finishing and packaging equipment to make premium outdoor performance socks for leading outdoor brands and retailers, as well as under its own Farm to Feet brand.
Logistics
Kodiak Robotics
Kodiak Robotics, a startup developing self-driving technology for long-haul trucking, announced that Jamie Hoffacker joined the company as head of its hardware division.
Hoffacker will lead a growing team responsible for developing the cutting-edge capabilities necessary for Kodiak to safely deploy self-driving trucks at scale. Kodiak already has self-driving long-haul trucks, operated with a safety driver, delivering freight for customers between Dallas and Houston on a routine basis.
Hoffacker was most recently director of sense and electronics at Lyft’s Level 5 Self-Driving division.