International Business

Coach has announced that executive chairman Lew Frankfort plans to retire upon his term’s expiration. He will not stand for re-election to the board at the company’s annual meeting of stockholders in November.

The company intends to bestow upon him the honorary title of chairman emeritus at that time.

Chengdu, China – Online apparel wholesaler Milanoo has launched a new version of its shopping app for both iPhone and Android. Based in Hong Kong, the company offers clothing and apparel to more than 180 countries worldwide, and serves customers in eight languages.

The new Milanoo app 2.0 includes push notifications of new arrivals and flash sales, order tracking, Facebook sign-in, and secure payment options including PayPal, credit card and Western Union money transfer.  

Defining the scope of a CFO’s oversight is challenging because it’s still evolving. Besides the overarching responsibility of overseeing and reporting finances, the role now often includes strategic planning, technology and investor relations.

New areas of reporting, including corporate social responsibility and environmental performance, are also being added.

Broadening responsibilities at a business brings with it an exponential increase in worries. And retail is no exception.

Mars has announced a number of leadership changes, which include the departure of Todd Lachman, current president of the company's global pet care division.
 
Lachman, who has been with the company eight years, will be leaving at the end of 2014 to relocate his family to San Francisco. Poul Weihrauch has been named as his successor, effective Jan. 1. Weihrauch is currently global president of Mars Food and also has accountability for Mars drinks and European multisales. He has been with Mars for 14 years, working in multiple categories.
 

Strategist, adviser, communicator, futurist: Retail chief financial officers have seen their role broaden so much in recent years that, in some cases, they have become virtual partners with the CEO. Once responsible primarily for financial stewardship, the CFO is embracing a growing number of additional roles encompassing strategic planning, technology and perhaps even a bit of crystal ball gazing.

Newell Rubbermaid is looking to expand its e-commerce business and accelerate its online revenue growth worldwide by opening a global e-commerce hub in New York. The move will create more than 30 new positions.

Toronto -- Sears Canada Inc. announced that Douglas C. Campbell, president and CEO, intends to resign and return to the United States by yearend for “personal family” issues. Campbell, formerly COO of Sears Canada, was appointed to the top spot in September 2013, after former head Calvin McDonald quit.  

Campbell was charged with turning around a struggling chain, which has seen eight years of falling sales.