Kohl’s promotes veteran exec to top marketing post

Kohl’s Corp. is making an interim C-level appointment permanent.

The department store retailer is naming Christie Raymond as its new chief marketing officer, reporting directly to Kohl’s CEO Michelle Gass. Raymond joined Kohl's in 2017 as senior vice president, media and personalization, and was promoted to executive VP, customer engagement, analytics & insights in June 2020.

Raymond has been acting as the interim chief marketing officer since at Kohl’s since May 2022. She will lead the company’s marketing organization including its overall marketing strategy, brand and creative, media, loyalty, customer analytics, corporate communications, and Kohl’s philanthropic efforts. She will also work to drive customer engagement, leverage leadership in loyalty, accelerate customer traffic, scale the Kohl’s Media Network, and continue to build the Kohl's brand.

The department store chain is expanding the capabilities of Kohl’s Media Network (KMN), its in-house retail media agency, to provide brands, vendors and partners an extended portfolio of omnichannel media services.

According to Kohl’s, it receives nearly 2 billion site visits per year and has millions of active, engaged customers and loyalty members. Advertisers can collaborate with Kohl’s Media Network in efforts to create awareness, influence and engagement, and to ultimately drive omnichannel conversions.

Advertisers can leverage KMN to advertise on Kohl’s digital platforms, as well as through off-site digital advertising. On-site channels include sponsored product ads, brand pages, email ads, and Kohl’s app push notifications. Off-site channels include paid social and influencer ads, off-site display ads, video, and streaming audio.

In an effort to drive further results, KMN has continued to expand with new enhancements including cross-targeting, omnichannel data integration, and closed-loop reporting. Kohl’s Media Network existing partners include Adidas, Bali, Carter’s, and Levi’s. The company expects continued growth in network participation in the coming years.

[Read more: Kohl’s enhances retail media network]

Prior to joining Kohl’s, Raymond held progressive roles at The Walt Disney Company. She has more than 20 years of marketing, retail industry and leadership experience.

"I'm thrilled to have Christie step into the role of Chief Marketing Officer for Kohl's. She joined Kohl's several years ago bringing her tremendous experience and customer-driven leadership approach to the marketing organization," said Gass. "She has been an asset to our senior executive team and she will be instrumental in our continued path forward as we deliver great value, a compelling brand portfolio and an inviting omnichannel experience to our millions of customers nationwide."

C-level shakeup at Kohl’s
A number of C-level executives have left Kohl’s in recent months. In May 2022, Doug Howe left his position as Kohl’s chief merchandising officer to assume the role of president of DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse and executive VP of Designer Brands.

And in July 2022, the retailer said in a securities filing that its chief technology and supply chain officer, Paul Gaffney, would leave the company on Aug.1. Kohl’s said that its executive VP, technology and supply chain, Siobhan McFeeney, was promoted to CTO.

Headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wis., Kohl’s operates more than 1,100 stores in 49 states, as well as the Kohls.com e-commerce site and the Kohl's app.