International Business

The Neiman Marcus Group has added Adam Brotman, Phillipe Bourguignon, and Vivek “Vic” Gundotra to its board of directors.

Brotman is chief digital officer for Starbucks and is responsible for Starbucks’ core digital businesses, including mobile and mobile payments, Web, card, loyalty, e-commerce, wi-fi and the Starbucks Digital Network. Prior to joining Starbucks in 2009, Brotman held key leadership positions at leading digital media companies including Corbis and PlayNetwork.

New York - Uniqlo announced it will enter two new markets, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, starting this spring. The Japanese apparel giant will open three stores in the Philadelphia market and six stores in the Boston metro area.  In addition, Uniqlo will open a pop-up shop at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston, early this summer.

Uniqlo will enter Pennsylvania with three stores in the greater Philadelphia area:

• King of Prussia Mall, King of Prussia (May 16)
• 1608 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia (Oct. 3)

Montreal -- After a failed attempt to restructure under bankruptcy protection, Canadian fashion retailer Boutique Jacob said it will liquidate its inventory and close all 92 stores.

The Montreal-based chain, which operates the Jacob, Jacob Outlet and Jacob Liquidation banners, exited bankruptcy protection in 2011 and has been unable to return to profitability. According to a Reuters report, the company said it was hurt by a challenging economy as well as competition from international brands that have debuted in Canada in recent years.

Toronto -- Hudson’s Bay Company named Paul V. Beesley as CFO, effective in June.

Beesley is a senior executive with extensive experience in financial management and strategic development across a range of leading Canadian-based companies. From 2000 to 2014, he served in a number of executive roles with Empire Company Limited, a corporation with annual sales in excess of $19 billion and operations in retailing and related real estate, including chief corporate development officer of the Sobeys unit and executive VP and CFO of Empire.

New York -- U.S. retail and consumer  merger & acquisition activity during first quarter 2014 was primarily driven by five multibillion dollar transactions, with more than half aligned to the food and beverage sector, confirming a positive deals outlook for the year, according to PwC’s U.S. retail and consumer deals insights first quarter 2014 report.
   

McCain Foods has appointed Jeff DeLapp as president, North America, effective June 2. DeLapp takes over the role from Frank van Schaayk, who is retiring next October, and will be based in Lisle, Ill.

DeLapp has more than 25 years of leadership experience in the food industry. He was president of Lamb Weston from 2002 to 2010. Prior to joining Lamb Weston, he was president and COO at The Bruss Company (acquired by Tyson Foods).

Philadelphia -- Destination Maternity Corp. announced the start of its planned expansion into Mexico with the opening of 46 Destination Maternity  branded shop-in-shops through a previously announced international franchise agreement with El Puerto de Liverpool, S.A.B. de C.V., the largest department store operator in Mexico.

Ticketfly, a San Francisco-based ticket distribution service founded in 2008, has hired former Amazon chief operating officer Steve Oliver to help develop the startup’s long-term strategy as it prepares to expand internationally, according to a Reuters report.

Oliver spent nine years at Amazon, leading its Canadian operations, the article stated.