International Business

Wal-Mart and other retailers who operate stores in Canada’s Quebec province are going to have make some changes to their store signage.

The Quebec government plans to modify the language laws of the province, where French is the predominant language, to add French to their exterior signage. Companies, however, will not have to change their trademarks.

Build-A-Bear Workshop on Tuesday said it has hired financial and legal advisers to help it explore strategic alternatives. The news came the day after General Nutrition Corp. (GNC) said it was doing the same.

Kit and Ace announced that Wendy Bennison has been named president. Interim CEO Paul Wilson will resume his role as CEO of Hold It All Inc.

“We feel very fortunate to have Wendy on board,” said Wilson. “She is a proven leader with an incredible depth of knowledge in the retail marketplace – both here in Canada and internationally. We’re confident that there is no better person to helm the next phase of our growth.”

Photo: Erik Westedt, left, and Scott Kaplan have joined JLL’s growing Southern California team.

The first Party City location has opened in Mexico and with the help of strategic franchise partner Grupo Oprimax a total of 80 locations are planned.

Editor’s Note: The 27th annual survey of Fastest-Growing Managers tallies new domestic and international third-party management and leasing contracts obtained during the 2015 calendar year and ranks the top performers. As always, the measuring stick is square footage.

This year’s fastest-growing third-party managers are taking many roads to growth, from acquisition to a multidisciplinary focus.

Editor’s Note: The 27th annual Chain Store Age survey of Fastest-Growing Acquirers surveyed retail square footage purchased during the 2015 calendar year.

They come to the list with different philosophies and experiences, but this year’s Fastest-Growing Acquirers share a dedication to preparation and long-term strategies.

With the retail environment changing so rapidly today, and technology impacting everything a store does, the role of the chief financial officer has become more important than ever.

When I started recruiting in 1990, the business was much simpler — we hired retail executives based on a linear skillset, and departments operated in individual silos. Today, it is much more complex, as the C-suite works in collaboration to keep up with an increasingly savvy consumer.

So, what then do you look for in a CFO today?