Michelle Gass takes reins at Levi’s; expanding leadership team
It’s the start of a new era for Levi Strauss & Co.
The denim giant said Michelle Gass has assumed the role of president and CEO, effective Jan. 29, Gass, the former Kohl’s chief who was appointed president of Levi’s in 2023, succeeded Chip Bergh, who is retiring after serving in the role since 2011.
Upon taking the reins, Gass announced that the company is expanding its executive leadership team with two immediate appointments, emphasizing Levi’s commitment dedication to pivoting fully to a DTC-first, brand-led business model. Levi’s chief marketing officer Kenny Mitchell, who joined the company in 2023 from Snap, and newly promoted chief merchandising officer Dawn Vitale will join the executive leadership team, which, under Gass’ leadership, is responsible for setting the company's overall direction and overseeing all major strategic, financial and operational decisions.
In addition, Levi’s plans to hire a president and chief commercial officer who will join the executive leadership team and be responsible for shaping its global commercial strategy and accelerating growth and profitability for the Levi’s brand. These changes reflect Gass' commitment to prioritizing growth and a consumer-centric approach throughout Levi’s, the company said.
“The addition of Kenny Mitchell and Dawn Vitale, as well as our new CEO of Beyond Yoga, Nancy Green,brings decades more of proven retail and consumer obsession to an already strong executive leadership team. I’m confident we have the right executive team and company strategies to accelerate our pivot to become a high-performing, DTC-first company,” Gass stated.
Last week, Levi’s unveiled a two-year “multiyear global productivity initiative” — called Project Fuel — designed to accelerate its ongoing direct-to-consumer focus while fueling long-term profitable growth. The plan includes a 10% to 15% reduction in the company’s global corporate workforce in the first half of 2024,
Levi Strauss & Co. designs and markets jeans, casual wear and related accessories for men, women and children under the Levi's, Dockers, Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.; Denizen and Beyond Yoga brands. Its products are sold in more than 110 countries worldwide through a combination of chain retailers, department stores, online sites, and a global footprint of approximately 3,200 brand-dedicated stores and shop-in-shops.