Labor & Employment

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Lowe’s has named José Luis Pier Castelló as president/general director of Lowe’s Mexico, effective March 15. He replaces Francisco Fernandez, who has left the company. Pier Castelló will report to William Robinson, head of international operations and development.

Canton, Mass. -- Dunkin' Brands Group, parent company of Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, announced that it has appointed three members of the company's senior management team to the role of president.
 
John Costello has been appointed president, global marketing & innovation, and he will continue to lead all global marketing, product development and channel businesses across both Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins.

TORONTO, ONTARIO —  The Canadian arm of the United Food and Commercial Workers union has taken aim at Target for its alleged unfair treatment of former Zellers workers.

The union claims that Target, which is converting 189 Zellers stores, is not giving former employees a fair shake in the hiring process and that many have been turned down for employment without reason.

Warrendale, Pa. -- rue21 announced that Stacy B. Siegal, the company's current VP, general counsel and corporate secretary, has been promoted to the additional position of chief administrative officer.

Siegal has served as the company's general counsel and corporate secretary since March 2010. In her expanded role, she will assume responsibility for human resources division while also retaining oversight of the company's legal matters, regulatory compliance and corporate communications.

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. — Sycamore Partners has agreed to acquire teen retailer Hot Topic for approximately $600 million, or 14 cents per share in cash. The agreement, which has been unanimously approved by Hot Topic’s board of directors, represents a premium of approximately 30% over Hot Topic’s closing stock price on March 6.

I have to admit, the recent announcement of the merger between Office Depot and OfficeMax took me by surprise. It’s not as though it doesn’t make sense — it’s logical both logistically and financially — but, while there had been a few rumblings and rumors, this is a dramatic move that took place with relatively little forewarning.

AMSTERDAM — Rene Dahan will step down as Royal Ahold's board chairman in October, the Dutch supermarket operator said Wednesday.

Netherlands-based Ahold — which operates the Stop & Shop, Giant-Landover and Giant-Carlisle chains and the Peapod online grocery service in the United States through its Ahold USA subsidiary — said that Dahan would step down after serving on the company's board since 2004. The company plans to propose at its shareholder meeting the appointment of Jan Hommen as Dahan's successor.

Dallas -- The current trial involving Martha Stewart, J.C. Penney Co. and Macy's could seriously damage the value of the Martha Stewart brand, according to litigation media relations and crisis management expert David Margulies, president of Marguilies Communications Group.

"Even if the court rules in her favor the perception will be that Stewart stabbed a longtime loyal business partner in the back,” he said. “The public looks at legal issues from a point of fairness rather than from the specific legal issues involved.”