Nielsen executive hired to oversee strategy at Signet

Signet Jewelers has hired its first ever chief strategy officer to lead the jewelry company's transformation and future growth.



The world's largest retailer of diamond jewelry announced that Uta Werner has joined the company as Signet chief strategy officer. Werner will be responsible for strategy development and execution and will be focused on the identification of growth opportunities, strategic planning and mergers and acquisitions.



“Uta will help us further differentiate and strengthen our position as the world’s largest retailer of diamond jewelry,” said CEO Mark Light. “This role is critical to the transformation of Signet and the creation of an organization that supports Signet’s Vision 2020 and our future growth. Vision 2020 represents a well-planned strategic framework for growth and future success. We are all very excited for Uta to join the team at Signet and look forward to her contributing to our success.”



Werner’s other responsibilities will include monitoring long-term trends, gathering competitive intelligence, driving cross-business-unit initiatives, and sustaining business model innovation.



Prior to joining Signet, Werner was executive VP, Global Product Leadership at Nielsen, where she led Nielsen’s Global Sales Effectiveness Practice, building a highly differentiated Advanced Analytics business that helps consumer products manufacturers and retailers leverage big data to systematically optimize and manage in-store and on-line sales drivers. Werner also has more than 20 years of experience as an advisor to senior management and investors, and prior to Nielsen was chief strategy officer of Xerox Corp.



Signet operates approximately 3,600 stores primarily under the banners of Kay Jewelers, Zales, Jared The Galleria Of Jewelry, H.Samuel, Ernest Jones, Peoples and Piercing Pagoda.