Lands’ End names new marketing chief in leadership shakeup

Specialty apparel retailer Lands' End is making a number of new executive appointments in the marketing and merchandising areas of the company.



Most significantly, Lands’ End is promoting Becky Gebhardt to executive VP and chief marketing officer for Lands' End. In this new role, Gebhardt will lead all aspects of creative and marketing. Previously, she served as senior VP and chief creative officer since May 2014 and has been with the company in different stages since 1991.



"As I look at all of the opportunities to grow Lands' End as a global brand, the role of CMO is crucial to our success as we continue to connect with our long-term, loyal customers, and introduce the brand to new customers in innovative and meaningful ways," said Federica Marchionni, CEO, Lands' End. "Becky's extensive knowledge of Lands' End, her proven track record as a business leader for directing brand and creative efforts for multichannel businesses, along with her 20-plus years of industry expertise focused on consumer brands and customer experiences makes her the ideal candidate, and we are excited to have her at the helm leading this critical function."



Gebhardt will oversee the marketing and creative teams, ensuring the development of integrated customer strategies and campaigns, including brand advertising, catalog, e-commerce and digital brand marketing, social media and retail marketing.



In addition, Lands’ End announced Mike Zhang recently joined the company as VP, e-commerce, digital marketing and innovation. In this role, he will work closely with Mike Holahan, promoted to senior VP, multi-channel marketing. Zhang brings 20 years of marketing experience at a variety of companies, including a brand management leadership role at Procter & Gamble from 1995-1999.



Holahan, who has been with Lands' End since 2008, has more than 20 years of experience in marketing, insights and data analytics, including seven years as VP of marketing at Victoria’s Secret Direct. He will play an influential role overseeing catalog marketing efforts, business analytics and consumer insights.



Both positions will report directly to Gebhardt. Lands’ End is also expanding the role of Angie Rieger, senior VP of inventory management and planning, to help drive the U.S. Direct business. Rieger, who has nearly 25 years of experience in inventory management and planning, served as senior director of planning at Lands’ End from 1991-2007. She then spent three years as a merchandising executive at The Douglas Stewart Company before returning to Lands’ End in 2010. She will report directly to Jim Gooch, CFO/COO.