Tiffany names healthcare exec new CFO; Fernandez to retire

New York -- Ralph Nicoletti, executive VP and CFO of healthcare services and insurance provider Cigna, will become the next executive VP and CFO of Tiffany & Co. His appointment to those offices will become effective on April 2, 2014.



James N. Fernandez, current COO and CFO of Tiffany, will retire in July 2014. Fernandez, a 30-year veteran of Tiffany, has been COO since 2011 and has been CFO since November 2013 and also served as CFO from 1989 to 2011. Upon his retirement, the title of COO will be eliminated and, instead, Tiffany’s senior VP of global operations and customer service and the senior VP of manufacturing, diamonds and gemstones will report directly to Michael J. Kowalski, chairman and CEO.



Nicoletti, 56, will be based in New York and responsible for the company’s worldwide financial functions and information technology. He will report to Michael J. Kowalski, chairman and CEO. Prior to his role with Cigna, he was executive VP and CFO at Alberto Culver and held various financial management positions at Kraft Foods.



“We have made key management additions to our organization in recent years,” said Kowalski. “Our first-class finance and IT functions and Ralph’s leadership experience and global perspective will be valuable to Tiffany’s continued worldwide expansion.”