Fast-growing fashion retailer taps Roots Canada exec as president

Kit and Ace announced that Wendy Bennison has been named president. Interim CEO Paul Wilson will resume his role as CEO of Hold It All Inc.



“We feel very fortunate to have Wendy on board,” said Wilson. “She is a proven leader with an incredible depth of knowledge in the retail marketplace – both here in Canada and internationally. We’re confident that there is no better person to helm the next phase of our growth.”



Bennison joins Kit and Ace from Roots Canada Ltd., where she served as president and COO. While at Roots, Bennison’s primary focus was the expansion of company’s category portfolio, as well as increasing sales and profitability by growing merchandise margins and reducing overhead.



Prior to Roots, Bennison was a senior VP at Mark’s Work Wearhouse, Canada's largest specialty apparel and footwear store network with over 400 locations;



Bennison has direct experience with the areas Kit and Ace is focused on developing, including ecommerce evolution, store design and people development, the retailer said. She will be responsible for driving the brand to the next level, building on the solid foundation and momentum achieved by the current executive team.



Kit and Ace has opened 50 stores and four pop-ups since first opening its doors in Vancouver (British Columbia) in July 2014. The company plans to open 10 more locations worldwide by the end of 2016.