Catalyst Brands adds apparel veteran to leadership team
The recently-formed parent company of JCPenney, Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers and other brands is adding to its C-suite.
Catalyst Brands has named Michael Fernandez to the role of chief wholesale and business development officer. Fernandez will report directly to Marc Rosen, Catalyst Brands’ CEO, and will join the company’s senior leadership team. In the role, he will oversee all wholesale operations (both domestic and international), as well as the company’s business to business, licensing, and business development efforts across the company’s portfolio of brands.
Fernandez most recently served as chief commercial officer and chief merchandising officer at The Levy Group Inc., where he spent nearly a decade in total leading commercial strategy, merchandising, sales, and brand development. He previously spent 12 years at Perry Ellis International, where he worked across several of the company’s core lifestyle and performance brands.
“We are excited to welcome Michael Fernandez as our new chief wholesale officer,” said Rosen. “Michael brings a wealth of strategic experience with specialty retail brands, which makes him uniquely well-positioned to drive our growth as we scale our retail and wholesale presence. His experience even working with some of Catalyst’s brands, and his ability to build significant retail relationships will be key as we continue working toward our mission of igniting America’s most beloved retail brands to make fashion accessible to all.”
Catalyst Brands was formed in January of this year when JCPenney and SPARC Group (a joint venture of brand management firm Authentic Brands Group, Simon Property Group and Shein) combined to form a new organization. The company’s brands include Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand, JCPenney and Nautica.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Catalyst Brands to help drive the organization forward and continue the momentum it has been building since forming earlier this year,” said Fernandez. “Catalyst Brands is a powerhouse organization comprised of iconic retail brands and exceptional leaders; I’m looking forward to building on our strong existing partnerships and developing new relationships that will only further that growth.”
[READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE Q&A: JCPenney promotes brand offerings with ‘Real Big Deals’]
Catalyst Brands operates 1,800 retail stores, shop-in-shops, and e-commerce platforms throughout the United States and Canada.
