Foot Locker names new global brands head

Foot Locker Inc. is tapping a brand expert from the toy industry to run its global brands operation.

The New York-based specialty athletic retailer has appointed Samantha Lomow in the new position of president, global brands. Lomow joins Foot Locker from Hasbro Inc., where she served as president, branded entertainment. She has over 25 years of global brand innovation, strategy, and business transformation experience across consumer products, entertainment, and licensing.  

Lomow will report directly to Frank Bracken, executive VP and COO, and will oversee Foot Locker's global brand portfolio and operating divisions across North America, Europe-Middle East-Africa, and Asia-Pacific regions. She will work as part of the executive team to advance Foot Locker's long-term strategies to position the company for innovation, growth, and profitability. 

Foot Locker is ramping up its ongoing brand and DTC efforts in the wake of an accelerated shift by Nike to sell more of its product through its own stores and website. The company will continue to expand in apparel and broaden its product mix across brands and categories. It recently launched a new womenswear brand.

Foot Locker has also expanded its portfolio with two acquisitions, including WSS, a California-based athletic footwear and apparel retailer that operates 93 off-mall stores and serves a largely Hispanic consumer base in underserved communities. It also acquired Japanese athletic streetwear brand atmos.

"We are pleased to welcome Samantha as Foot Locker’s first president, global brands," said Frank Bracken. "Samantha has a track record of successfully driving insight-led business strategy, operational excellence, and transformational priorities and initiatives to deliver sustainable growth. As we look towards the future and our purpose to inspire and empower youth culture, Samantha's fresh perspective and experience will further accelerate our consumer-led strategies and the development of our omnichannel value proposition. She's a tremendous addition to our dynamic and diverse leadership team – with keen insight and a growth mindset that complements our already high-performing operation."

"I am thrilled to join the Foot Locker team to lead their robust global retail portfolio,” said Lomow. “I look forward to working closely with Frank and the rest of the leadership team to help shape the company's future in its next stage of growth. Together, we are committed to leading a bold agenda across our company's brand portfolio with innovative products and immersive experiences for consumers."

Lomow most recently served as president, branded entertainment at Hasbro, and previously served as president, entertainment brands and senior VP, Hasbro Brands. She sits on the board of managers of Claire's Holdings LLC, serving as chair of the Nomination, Governance and ESG Committee, and as a member of the Audit Committee. Lomow holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Toronto and holds certificates in Financial Management from Cornell, Foundations in FinTech from NYU Stern, and Sustainable Capitalism and ESG from Berkeley Law.  

Foot Locker Inc. operates a global portfolio of brands including Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Champs Sports, Eastbay, atmos, WSS, Footaction, and Sidestep. The company has approximately 2,900 retail stores in 28 countries across North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as websites and mobile apps.