Tory Burch names retail vet Roger Farah as co-CEO

New York -- Upscale women’s apparel and accessories company Tory Burch named longtime retail veteran Roger Farah co-CEO as the fast-growing brand looks to expand into a global player. He will share the title with founder and current CEO Tory Burch who will remain chairman. Burch is also the company's largest shareholder.



“We have grown significantly over the last ten years and Roger is uniquely qualified to help us continue to build and scale the business. He is an exceptional person and one of the great executives in our industry,” said Burch.



Farah, 61, was most recently executive vice chairman at Ralph Lauren Corp., which he joined in 2000 as president and COO. He is credited with helping to nearly quadruple sales at the company and greatly expanding its technology and supply chain capabilities. When Farah left Ralph Lauren this past May, he was rumored to be on the short-list for a number of top spots in retail, including Target Corp.



Prior to Ralph Lauren, Farah was chairman and CEO of Venator Group Inc., from 1994 to 2000. He has also held senior executive positions at Federated Merchandising Services, and at R.H. Macy & Co.



“The opportunity to join a growing, privately held, values-based company like Tory Burch was very appealing,” said Farah. “I’ve admired Tory for a long time and look forward to partnering with her and her team to execute her long-term vision.”



The fast-growing Tory Burch brand, which generated more than $1 billion in sales last year, operates 136 stores around the globe, and has announced plans to open additional flagships in Milan, Paris and New York City. Its products are also sold in department stores and specialty stores. It is entering several new product categories, with an upcoming watch launch with Fossil.