Lands' End names retail and tech veteran as CEO
The chief executive of Lands' End is leaving after five and a half years on the job.
The apparel and lifestyle retailer named Charlie Cole as CEO and a member of the board, with his appointment effective July 13. He will succeed Andrew McLean, who will step down as chief executive and board member.
Cole has more than two decades of leadership experience spanning digital commerce, technology, artificial intelligence and omnichannel retail, Lands' End said in a release. Most recently, he served as interim chief digital officer of furniture and bedding company Thuma.
Previously, Cole was president of XGen AI, an AI-powered commerce software company acquired by Zoovu in 2026; CEO of Tribute Technology; CEO of FTD; chief digital officer of Tumi; and global chief e-commerce officer of Samsonite.
"Our responsibility as a board is to ensure Lands’ End has the right leader for every stage of its evolution,” said Josephine Linden, chair of the board. “Charlie has spent his career transforming iconic consumer brands by combining disciplined operating execution with technology-enabled innovation, and the board is confident that his expertise will enable him to execute and expand on the strategy the company recently laid out while positioning Lands’ End exceptionally well to drive the next phase of profitable growth and sustainable shareholder value creation.”
Lands’ End said that Cole’s appointment “builds on the strong execution of the company’s solutions-based strategy under Mr. McLean.”
[READ MORE: WHP Global to acquire 50% stake in Lands’ End]
“During his tenure, Lands’ End executed a strategic transformation that strengthened both the business and the balance sheet and created meaningful opportunities for future value creation,” Linden said. "Andrew’s leadership in establishing the WHP Global joint venture represents a significant milestone in unlocking the long-term potential of the Lands’ End brand. We are grateful that he will continue supporting the company during this transition.”
