Mergers & Acquisitions

Leading shopping center owner and operator DDR Corp. announced that CEO Daniel B. Hurwitz and the board of directors have decided not to renew his employment agreement, which expires December 31, 2015. It is anticipated that Hurwitz will remain CEO through 2015 to ensure a smooth leadership transition.

Grapevine, Texas – GameStop Corp. plans to exit the Spanish market by selling some stores there to U.K.-based video game retailer Game Digital plc, and closing the remaining locations. Under the terms of this proposed agreement, GameStop will transfer ownership of a portfolio of GameStop stores located in Spain with the remaining retail sites winding down in 2014.

GameStop will work closely with Game to ensure a smooth transition and continued support for all of GameStop’s customers in Spain.

New York - SmartFocus has acquired beacon technology specialist TagPoints and social media analytics provider Content Savvy as part of its strategy to develop the U.K.'s first omnichannel digital marketing system. Its platform now offers customer engagement and analytics capabilities across all media channels, so clients can gain deeper insight into consumer behavior.

New York – Ann Inc. is publicly responding to an open letter sent by activist investors Engine Capital and Red Alder on Aug. 25, which urged the company to sell at a substantial premium above current stock price. In a press release, Ann Inc. said its board is “very active and consistently has been, and remains, focused on enhancing shareholder value.”

Ann Inc. also said its board regularly reviews all options and uses a financial advisor to help evaluate them.

La-Z-Boy has appointed Aaron Thomas Brown as VP, strategy and analytics, a newly created position. Brown will report to Kurt Darrow, La-Z-Boy's chairman, president and CEO, and will spearhead strategic planning across the enterprise.

Fort Worth, Texas – John Feray, who had served as CFO of RadioShack for less than a year, has resigned from the company, citing personal reasons. Holly F. Etlin, managing director of AlixPartners and longtime RadioShack advisor, has been named interim CFO of the struggling retailer. She previously served as RadioShack's interim CFO from July 2013 to February 2014.

Longtime RadioShack adviser Holly F. Etlin has been tapped once more as interim CFO, replacing John Feray. Citing personal reasons, Feray resigned Sept. 12, just a day after the company posted its 10th straight quarterly loss.

Etlin, a managing director of AlixPartners, has already served as RadioShack's interim CFO, from July 2013 to Feb. 2014.

RadioShack warned in a regulatory filing it may seek bankruptcy protection, with a possible sale or third-party investment as other potential avenues to remedy its ongoing financial woes.

Pleasanton, Calif. -  Blackhawk Network has completed the acquisition of Dallas-based CardLab Inc., an online provider of customizable prepaid incentive and rewards cards. The deal is part of Blackhawk's strategy to extend its prepaid card solutions from physical and online retail channels into the business-to-business channels that issue incentives and rewards to consumers, customers and employees.