Big Lots taps former Abercrombie COO as finance head

Big Lots has found a new CFO.

The discounter named Jonathan Ramsden as executive VP, CFO and  administrative officer, effective August 5, 2019. He will succeed Timothy A. Johnson, who will transition away from his roles on the same day. Johnson, an 18-year Big Lots veteran, will continue in an advisory role through Labor Day to provide for a smooth transition, the company said.

Ramsden brings to Big Lots more than 20 years of experience in senior executive roles with U.S. public companies in the retail and marketing services industries. He spent over seven years with Abercrombie & Fitch Co., joining as CFO in 2008 and later serving as the company's COO. Prior to A&F, he spent 10 years CFO of TBWA Worldwide, a global marketing services group, after having served as controller of TBWA's parent, the Omnicom Group Inc.

"We are excited to welcome a leader of Jonathan's breadth of knowledge to Big Lots as we continue to transform and more competitively position the business for long-term success under our Operation North Star strategic plan," said Bruce Thorn, president and CEO of Big Lots. "Jonathan's extensive experience in financial management, strategy and operations, along with his deep knowledge of the retail industry, make him an ideal fit for our organization.”

Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Big Lots operates 1,407 stores nationwide.