Industry Moves: February 2021

FN Staff
·7 min read

Who’s in, who’s out, who’s been promoted and hired — FN covers all the industry changes in one place. Know of an executive on the move? Tell us at web@footwearnews.com.

Feb. 22, 2021: Allbirds has added two beauty executives to its board. According to FN’s sister publication WWD, the shoe brand has tapped Emily Weiss, founder and CEO of Glossier, and Mandy Fields, CFO of E.l.f. Beauty. The board now has eight members, including Old Navy president Nancy Green and Warby Parker co-founder and CEO Neil Blumenthal.

More from Footwear News

Feb. 19, 2021: Shoe Show tapped Tricia McDermott Thompkins as general counsel. The exec manages the retailer’s legal operations that support its more than 1,100 stores and commercial real estate arm. Thompkins previously served as EVP, general counsel and secretary of Perry Ellis International Inc., where she managed the company’s global legal operations in over 150 countries. Before that, she held senior in-house positions with Office Depot, Inc. and Spectrum Brands, Inc. Thompkins takes over for Bill Kohler, who is retiring after more than 21 years with the company.

Feb. 16, 2021: REI Co-op has promoted Dan Shull to the role of SVP, chief technology officer. In this role, Shull — who joined REI in 2018 as its first VP of commerce and experiences — will be tasked with leading engaging the outdoor community through technology across its stores, e-commerce channels and more. Additionally, REI announced today that it is looking to fill two other leadership positions, a head of information security and privacy and a head of platform engineering, as it further invests in its technology capabilities.

Feb. 16, 2021: Target Corp. is shuffling its C-suite. The big-box chain has announced a number of changes across its executive leadership team: Christina Hennington, who joined Target in 2003, was named EVP and chief growth officer. With Hennington stepping into the new role, Jill Sando, who has spent 24 years at the company, will now lead buying for all product categories as EVP and chief merchandising officer. In addition, Rick Gomez — who most recently served as chief marketing, digital and strategy officer — was appointed EVP and chief food and beverage officer. He succeeds Stephanie Lundquist, who is departing after 15 years with Target. What’s more, Cara Sylvester has been promoted to EVP and chief marketing and digital officer, while Katie Boylan is now EVP and chief communications officer.

“At the core of Target’s success is the most talented team in retail,” chairman and CEO Brian Cornell said in a statement. “The changes we’re announcing create new opportunities for key leaders to bring their knowledge and experiences to different areas of the business.”

Feb. 16, 2021: Macy’s Inc. has appointed Xingchu Liu as its SVP of enterprise data and analytics, effective Feb. 15. In the role, he will focus on analytics governance, data management and activation, reporting to chief digital officer Matt Baer. Liu was formerly the president of BlackLocus, the Home Depot-owned startup that develops data automation tools to inform retailer pricing models. “We know that modern retail is built on a balance of art and science, and I am confident Xingchu will hold that balance and help Macy’s stand up a best-in-class data and analytics center of excellence and enable us to move faster, drive innovation and stay competitive,” Baer said in a statement.

Feb. 12, 2021: Jimmy Choo has named Jaime Wynn as president, North America. The executive takes over for Tanya Golesic, who is heading to Michael Kors to be president of women’s. (Both brands are owned by Capri Holdings.) In her new role, Wynn — most recently VP of wholesale and planning at Jimmy Choo — will report to Hannah Colman, CEO of the brand. “Jaime has been instrumental in Jimmy Choo’s growth in the US. Her extensive knowledge for the brand makes her the ideal choice to lead the region for the next chapter of success. Jaime’s appointment is testament to the strength of talent we have within the business,” Colman said in a statement. Wynn added, “Having been part of Jimmy Choo since 2016, I am thrilled to be taking on this exciting opportunity, it feels like a natural next step for me. I am looking forward to working with Hannah and the entire team to continue the great work achieved by Tanya.”

Feb. 10, 2021: Just a week after announcing that Stefan Larsson had been elevated to CEO of PVH Corp., the New York-based fashion titan has made another executive change: Former Urban Outfitters Group CEO Trish Donnelly will take on the newly created role of CEO of PVH Americas. She will have responsibility for the Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Heritage Brands businesses in the Americas and for the global Calvin Klein brand. Prior to UO, Donnelly also held top posts at J.Crew, Ralph Lauren, Steven Alan and Cole Haan. She joins PVH on Feb. 16 and will report directly to Larsson.

Feb. 8, 2021: Gatorade has tapped former Nike exec and NFL player Kalen Thornton as its chief marketing officer, according to multiple reports. Prior to Gatorade, Thornton spent almost 10 years at Nike, most recently serving as its North American VP of men’s brand management. Before his time with Nike, Thornton was a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys, suiting up for the team during 16 games in 2004.

Feb. 5, 2021: Subscription-based sneaker platform SoleSavy announced it has hired Marco Henry Negrete as VP of content and communications. In the role, Negrete will lead its content strategy, consumer and corporate communications and creative marketing efforts. Prior to SoleSavy, Negrete most recently worked for Jordan Brand to lead its global editorial content strategy.

Feb. 2, 2021: Family footwear retailer Rack Room Shoes announced Molly Hartney has succeeded Jan Mauldin as VP and chief marketing officer. Mauldin, who spearheaded the brand’s commitment to shining a spotlight on its customers through their Real People initiative, retired after nearly two decades at the company. Rack Room Shoes has also promoted Scott Baldt to VP of digital sales and experience, and named Brenda Christmon as senior director of brand communications. Hartney has held executive marketing positions with Funko, Lowe’s Home Improvement, and ATGstores.com; Baldt most recently served as senior director of omnichannel for Rack Room Shoes and Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse; Christmon previously was director of corporate communications for Rack Room.

Feb. 2, 2021: Nordstrom Inc. has named Alix Box to the post of SVP and regional manager of its Canada-based business. Michelle Haggard, who previously served in the role, has retired following three decades with the company. Box had spent 10 years at Starbucks, where she was the VP of Canada operations; seven years at Holt Renfrew for store operations and marketing; as well as three years as president and CEO of Second Cup. Most recently, she was the chief customer officer at LCBO, where she led a retail network of 675 stores. “As we keep our focus on continuing to build a business that is relevant and resonates with our Canadian customers, we’re excited for Alix, whose leadership principles align with the Nordstrom values and culture, to lead this effort,” president of stores Jamie Nordstrom said in a statement.

Feb. 1, 2021: Crocs Inc. has announced the appointment of Emma Minto as SVP and general manager, overseeing all operations for its Americas region. The new exec previously spent 16 years at Nike in a range of leadership roles, most recently as VP and general manager of Nike Women’s in North America. She was also the former VP of Nike Direct Global Retail Operations. “[Minto’s] strategic mindset, consumer orientation and leadership style will be a terrific fit for Crocs and a great addition to our senior leadership team,” Crocs brand president Michelle Poole said in a statement.

Sign up for FN's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.