International Business

Toms founder and CEO Blake Mycoskie is the latest recruit to join the B Team, a nonprofit initiative, co-founded by Sir Richard Branson and Jochen Zeitz. Mycoskie is the youngest member of team.

The B Team was created to encourage businesses to be a driving force for social, environmental and economic benefit.

The Year of the Horse arrives January 31, 2014, the first day of the Chinese New Year, which will run through February 18, 2015.

Beverly Center in Los Angeles plans to celebrate the Chinese New Year and promote the Year of the Horse from day one through the month of February.

The Chinese Zodiac follows cycles of 12 years, with each year named for an animal. This year is the Year of the Horse. It is said that people born in the Year of the Horse may be hardworking, independent, intelligent and fall in love easily.

Minneapolis – Target Corp. notified Canadian shoppers who visited U.S, Target stores between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15, 2013 that some of their personal data may have been compromised in the major data breach that hit the retailer. According to the Canadian Press, that information includes personal data such as names, addresses, emails and phone numbers, but not financial data.

New York -- Eminence Capital, which owns 4.9% of the common stock of Jos. A. Bank Clothiers and has been pushing for a deal between the retailer and rival Men’s Wearhouse, has nominated two industry veterans for election as directors to the board at Jos. A. Bank's annual meeting. The nominees include: Bruce J. Klatsky, former chairman of Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation, a position he held from 1994 until June 2007, and Norman S. Matthews, former president of Federated Department Stores and active and former board member of other retail and consumer companies.

New York -- Chute Gerdeman, a global strategic brand and design firm, has opened an office in New York City.

“Our clients increasingly have sought our presence in New York,” said Chute Gerdeman chairman Denny Gerdeman. “As our business and client base have grown and evolved, having a base in this retail hub became a clear necessity.”

Dallas -- Corner Bakery Café in 2013 signed 12 new area development agreements with franchisees, adding commitments for more than 120 new locations and raising the total to more than 300 cafes under development as the company moves forward on its goal to double its U.S. footprint in the next three years. Currently, Corner Bakery has more than 160 company-owned and franchised locations in 17 states and Washington, D.C.

Sean Mayo, former director of strategic partnerships for Simon Business Ventures, part of Simon Property Group’s (SPG) marketing and business development arm, has been promoted to regional director of marketing, east region of The Mills portfolio.  

New York -- Mexico's Grupo Gigante expects to raise up to 4.954 billion pesos ($374.14 million) in its initial public offering of Office Depot de Mexico shares, Reuters reported.

The company plans to sell up to 291 million shares, local filings revealed.

The listing is provisionally set to price on Feb. 5, the report said.

In June, Grupo Gigante, acquired the 50% stake in the office supplies chain that it did not already own.
 

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart Stores has reportedly registered a new company called “Wal-Mart India Private Ltd.” in India, setting the stage for entering the Indian grocery market with a new local partner. According to the Free Press Journal, an Indian publication, Wal-Mart registered the company on Jan. 15, 2014 with the Indian Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

Chicago — Jones Lang LaSalle has named Greg O’Brien chief executive officer, Americas. Reporting directly to Colin Dyer, president and CEO of JLL, O’Brien will have overall responsibility for the Americas business. He will be succeeded as CEO, Markets by John Gates. Both appointments are effective immediately.

Currently a member of the firm’s Americas Executive Committee, which sets the strategic direction for the region, O’Brien will now head this group and join the firm’s Global Executive Board.