Head of international to leave Hudson's Bay

An 11-year veteran of Canadian department store giant HBC is stepping down.



HBC, whose banners include Hudson's Bay, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Lord & Taylor, announced that Don Watros, president of HBC International, has made the decision to leave, effective September 29, 2017. The company did not name a successor.



“With a seasoned leadership team in place in Europe and our plans to bring Hudson’s Bay to the Netherlands and Saks Off 5th to Europe coming to fruition, the time is right for me to pursue my next chapter,” Watros said.



Watros was appointed president, HBC International in January 2015. Previously, he served as president of HBC and before that as COO of the company. Prior this role, he was managing director of retail operations at NRDC Equity Partners during the acquisitions of Lord & Taylor and Hudson’s Bay Company.



“Don has been a great partner in supporting the growth and integration of HBC’s businesses over the years and was instrumental in HBC entering Europe and helping to establish our structure there,” said Richard Baker, governor and executive chairman, HBC. “We are grateful for his dedication to the Company and wish him the best in his next endeavor.”



HBC operates more than 480 stores around the world. Its banners across North America and Europe include Hudson's Bay, Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, Gilt, Saks Off 5th, Galeria Kaufhof (the largest department store group in Germany) and Belgium's only department store group Galeria INNO.