Retail C-Suite Moves: June report
•YumBrands! promoted Sean Tresvant to CEO of its Taco Bell division, effective January 1, 2024. Tresvant, who currently serves as global chief brand and strategy officer of Taco Bell, will succeed Mark King, who has decided to retire at the end of 2023. Prior to Taco Bell, Tresvant spent more than 15 years in leadership roles at Nike. https://chainstoreage.com/former-nike-exec-lead-taco-bell
•Several months after longtime Marriott executive Stephanie Linnartz took the reins as CEO of Under Armour, the athletic apparel and accessories brand announced a series of leadership changes that included the departures of COO Colin Browne, who will leave this fall, and chief product officer Lisa Collier, who will leave in August.
In addition, Jim Dausch has appointed executive VP, chief consumer officer, effective July 24. He joins Under Armour after spending more than 20 years at Marriott. https://chainstoreage.com/under-armour-c-suite-shuffle-includes-two-departures
•Northeast Grocers, parent company of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Friendly Markets, named John Persons as COO. He will oversee both operating companies, as well as the Northeast Shared Services (a subsidiary of NGI providing services to both operating companies) merchandising and marketing functions. Persons most recently served as president of Tops. https://chainstoreage.com/news-briefs?created_1=2023-06-29T11%3A30%3A33
•The longtime chief executive of AutoZone, Bill Rhodes, will retire as president and CEO in January 2024, and become executive chairman. Rhodes will be succeeded by 29-year company veteran Philip B. Daniele, III, currently executive VP merchandising, marketing and supply chain. https://chainstoreage.com/longtime-ceo-autozone-step-down
•Hilary Super took the helm of pop superstar Rihanna’s billion-dollar inclusive lingerie brand, Savage X Fenty. Super previously served as global CEO of Anthropologie Group, and also held various leadership positions at Guess, American Eagle Outfitters and Gap Inc.
•Claudia Lima-Guinehut was named executive VP and chief merchandising officer of Claire’s. She joins the company after spending nearly nine years at The Children’s Place, most recently serving as senior VP, global merchandising and strategic. https://chainstoreage.com/claires-taps-childrens-place-exec-chief-merchant
•Victoria’s Secret & Co. tapped Anne Stephenson as chief merchandising officer, effective in July. Stephenson most recently served as chief merchandising officer and product officer of Torrid, which she joined in August 2019. From 2001 to 2016, she was at Victoria’s Secret, with her last role as executive VP, design, Victoria’s Secret Brand. https://chainstoreage.com/victorias-secret-has-made-two-leadership-appointments
•Academy Sports + Outdoors Inc. promoted Matt McCabe to executive VP and chief merchandising officer. He succeeds Steve Lawrence, who took the reins as CEO from Ken Hicks at the beginning of June. https://chainstoreage.com/academy-sports-promotes-company-veteran-merchandising-head
•VF Corp., parent company of The North Face, Timberland and Vans named Bracken Darrell as president and CEO, effective July 17. He suceeds Benno Dorer, who has been acting as VF’s interim president and chief executive following the abrupt departure of Steve Rendle in December. Darrell joins VF from Logitech International S.A., where he served as president and CEO since 2013. https://chainstoreage.com/under-armour-c-suite-shuffle-includes-two-departures
•Kristy Chipman joins Five Below as CFO and treasurer on July 17, 2023. She succeeds Ken Bull, who has assumed the new role of COO at the company. https://chainstoreage.com/five-below-names-cfo
•Stitch Fix appointed Matt Baer CEO and member of the board, effective June 26. He joins the online personal shopping and styling service after serving three years at Macy’s, Inc., most recently as chief customer and digital officer. Prior to Macy’s, Baer was VP, eCommerce at Walmart, from 2016 to 2020.https://chainstoreage.com/stitch-fix-taps-macys-digital-chief-ceo
•Matt Furlong was fired as CEO of GameStop. Chairman and activist investor Ryan Cohen, who currently has an 11.9% stake in the company, was named executive chairman. https://chainstoreage.com/gamestop-fires-ceo-names-ryan-cohen-executive-chairman
•Teen apparel retailer Rue 21 named Karlyn Mattson executive VP, chief customer officer. She joins the chain from GNC, where she most recently served as executive VP, chief merchandising officer. https://chainstoreage.com/gamestop-fires-ceo-names-ryan-cohen-executive-chairman
•Thomas Sabatino joined Rite Aid as executive VP and chief legal officer. He was most recently the executive VP and general counsel at Tenneco. https://chainstoreage.com/news-briefs?created_1=2023-06-09T11%3A58%3A50