Former Kohl’s CIO takes IT reins at Hudson’s Bay

Toronto – Despite efforts by her previous employer to block the transition, former Kohl’s CIO Janet Schalk is joining Hudson’s Bay Co. in the same capacity. Schalk initially informed Kohl’s she would be leaving effective July 31 to take the Hudson’s Bay CIO post.



On July 24, Kohl’s filed a lawsuit in Wisconsin (where the retailer is headquartered) claiming its employment agreement with Schalk required her to wait a year before taking a similar position with a competitor. However, on Aug. 11, the court ruled against Kohl’s, saying Hudson’s Bay is not a direct competitor and the language of the employment agreement would most likely not stand up under state law.



A temporary injunction barring Schalk from accepting the job with Hudson’s Bay has since expired. It is unclear if Kohl’s is considering any further legal action.



In her new role, Schalk will be responsible for leading the IT strategy for Hudson’s Bay. She will also drive the company's roadmap of common systems, integrated support, business architecture and analytics.



"Janet is a proven leader, and her success in creating a strategic information technology function that drives customer engagement across all channels will be critical in advancing Hudson Bays IT systems and supporting the company's growth," said Jerry Storch, CEO, Hudson's Bay Co. "We look forward to welcoming Janet and moving ahead with our plans for innovation and growth."



Schalk joins Hudson Bay's executive leadership team and will report directly to the Office of the Chairman, comprising Richard Baker, chairman and governor, and Jerry Storch, CEO.



Previous to Kohl's, where Schalk started as senior VP of IS, business applications in 2010 and was promoted to CIO in 2012, she spent four years as executive VP and head of global IT for Target from 2004-2008.