THE CURRENT - Key Persons
Alan Wizemann was named chief digital officer of children's feeding and care products brand Munchkin.
Munchkin previously served as CTO of Quip NYC, chief digital officer of Dollar Shave Club, interim chief digital officer of Goop and VP of guest experiences and digital product at lululemon. He was also VP of Target.com.
The appointment to the executive role comes after Wizemann joined the company's board of directors in early 2022, and played a key role in advising on digital growth.
Apple Musni was hired as chief people officer. Musni brings experience from Chipotle, serving as VP of field people experience and recruiting. She also served in people operations roles at McDonald's and Target.
Brie Olson was appointed as the sole CEO of Pacsun, ending a co-CEO model at the apparel retailer. It comes after Olson was appointed as co-CEO in March after 17 years with the company.
Job Titles:
- Campbell Soup Company CEO
Campbell Soup Company CEO Mark Clouse offered thoughts on messaging amid inflationary shifts in consumer behavior.
Job Titles:
- VP, Strategic Industries, Google Cloud
Cathy R. Smith was hired as the chief financial officer of Nordstrom.
Smith joins the department store retailer from Bright Health Group, where she has served as chief financial and administrative officer since 2020. Previously, Smith served as CFO at Target for five years. She has also served as CFO of Express Scripts, Walmart International, Gamestop, Centex, Kennametal, Textron and Raytheon.
"Cathy is a proven and well-respected leader with more than 30 years of financial leadership experience," said Erik Nordstrom, chief executive officer of Nordstrom, Inc., in a statement. "With her impressive record delivering business results at blue chip brands and deep expertise navigating a complex retail environment, we're confident she will be an excellent addition to our team and will help us achieve our growth priorities."
With the move, interim CFO Michael Maher indicated he will be departing Nordstrom, ending a stint with the company that began in 2009.
Job Titles:
- Chief Merchandising Officer
- SVP
- VP of Co - Op Brands
Chris Speyer was promoted to SVP and chief merchandising officer. Speyer joined REI in 2017 as VP of Co-op Brands, which is the company's private label.
Chuck Cassidy was promoted to general counsel, effective June 2. Cassidy previously served as VP and associate general counsel. He will succeed Jeff Mengoli, who is retiring.
Cliff Moskowitz joined Forma Brands as CEO following the company's exit from bankruptcy. Moskowitz brings more than 20 years of experience to the role, having served as CEO of apparel brand Outdoor Voices and managed InterLuxe Holdings.
Job Titles:
- Chief Digital and Commercial Officer
Conny Braams, who serves as chief digital and commercial officer, will leave the company, effective August 2023. Braams previously held senior management roles including Executive Vice President (EVP) of Middle Europe; and EVP Foodsolutions Asia, Africa and Middle East.
Job Titles:
- President of the Jordan Brand
Craig Williams, who is currently president of the Jordan Brand, will become president of geographies and marketplace at Nike, Inc.
Dan Bane is retiring after a longtime stint as CEO of Trader Joe's, effective July 2. With the move, Bryan Palbaum will become the grocer's next CEO, rising from his current role of president and chief operating officer. Jon Basalone will be promoted from president of stores to vice CEO and president.
Bane has worked at Trader Joe's for 25 years, and served as CEO for the last 22 years. Combined, Palbaum and Basalone have more than 50 years of experience.
"We are thankful for Dan's leadership over the past 22 years. Jon and I look forward to working with all Crew Members to continue to grow Trader Joe's," said Palbaum. "We remain focused on providing customers with exciting products at great values while being true to the seven Values that will continue to guide Trader Joe's."
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer of BigCommerce
Daniel Lentz was promoted to chief financial officer of BigCommerce, effective July 1. He previously served as SVP of finance and investor relations. Lentz will succeed CFO Robert Alvarez, who is retiring after a 12-year stint as CFO.
Job Titles:
- EVP and Chief Customer Officer of Grocer SpartanNash
David Sisk was promoted to EVP and chief customer officer of grocer SpartanNash. Sisk joined the company in 2020, and this move comes after he was promoted to the role of chief customer officer last year. Sisk previously served as COO of OSC-WEBco, and rose to the executive ranks at Procter & Gamble.
Erica Randerson was named vice president of ecommerce at Divi, a scalp health and haircare brand.
Randerson comes to the role from Edible Arrangements, where she served as VP of ecommerce across the company's websites and 900+ retail locations.
Job Titles:
- Director of Logistics at Emplicit
Evan Sherman is the director of logistics at Emplicit. Evan joined Emplicit in February 2023 and brings with him over 10 years in Operational Excellence and Inventory Management. Evan's background includes overseeing the operations for a multi-state brick-and-mortar retailer and over four years of Seller Central inventory planning and management experience on Amazon. Evan holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Arizona State University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.
Job Titles:
- CFO of Hasbro
- New Chief Financial Officer
Gina Goetter is the company's new chief financial officer. Goetter previously served as CFO of Harley-Davidson. She previously served as SVP of finance in Tyson Foods' prepared foods division, and spent more than two decades at General Mills.
Graeme Pitkethly will retire as chief financial officer, effective at the end of May 2024. The board is set to launch a formal search for his successor. Pitkethly has been with Unilever for 21 years.
Heidi O'Neill has a new role at Nike. (Courtesy photo)
Craig Williams, who is currently president of the Jordan Brand, will become president of geographies and marketplace at Nike, Inc.
Hubert Ban was named chief accounting officer. He will replace Vice President of Accounting and Principal Accounting Officer Thomas Aylor, who departed the ecommerce platform on May 19.
Isabelle Portilla was promoted to VP of Co-op Brands. Previously, Portilla led product strategy and design for Co-op Brands.
Jared Carver will serve as CEO of Converse. Over the last four years, he served as VP/GM of North America for Converse.
Job Titles:
- Nordstrom As Chief Technology and Information Officer
Jason Morris will join Nordstrom as chief technology and information officer, overseeing engineering, data and analytics.
Jeff Evans was named president and chief merchandising officer of At Home, the home goods retailer.
Evans previously served as EVP of entertainment, toys and seasonal at Walmart, managing the largest general merchandise business for the retailer. He rose to the position after serving in executive roles at Walmart US and Sam's Club.
Macy's, Inc. announced a CEO succession plan that will see current CEO Jeff Gennette retire in February 2024. With this, Bloomingdale's CEO Tony Spring will rise to become the retailer's next CEO.
Jim Davis was appointed chief revenue officer. He previously held leaderships roles at Office Depot, Dell, Hoka and more.
Jim French is joining ecommerce solutions firm Radial as chief technology officer.
French previously served for as CTO at Transplace, an Uber Freight Company, for four years. He previously held senior tech roles at MoneyGram International and travel tech company Sabre.
"Radial has a proven track record of delivering innovative eCommerce solutions that help brands succeed in today's ever-changing landscape," said Jim French, CTO of Radial, in a statement. "I'm honored to work with the talented Radial team to build on that success and take our technology to the next level. Together, we will continue to improve the client experience, drive growth, and solidify Radial's position as a leader in the industry."
Job Titles:
- EVP of Retail Operations and Special Projects
Jim Perkins was named head of planning SpinCo, a new company that is being proposed to oversee the stores divested in the pending Kroger-Albertsons merger. Philadelphia Business Journal first reported the news.
Perkins currently serves as EVP of retail operations and special projects and Mid-Atlantic division president at Albertsons. Previously, he served as president of Acme.
With the move, Tom Lofland was appointed mid-Atlantic division president at Albertsons. He previously served as senior VP of merchandising and marketing in the division.
Jiri Ponrt is the new CFO of Groupon, succeeding Damien Schmitz.
CEO John Donahoe said Powell has been "a visionary communicator leading and driving some of the biggest, most complex, and impactful moments for the brand."
Jonathan Van Ness, the hairstylist and Queer Eye star, is joining the health and wellness credit card provider Ness as chief self care officer.
In this role, Van Ness will help lead business strategy, including product, content and member experience. He will also play a key role in the rewards and benefits program. Ness launched with a beta of the Ness Card last month.
"Ness speaks to the core of my own personal mission and I am thrilled to join the team," said Van Ness, in a statement. "Together, we're building a platform that empowers people to take control of the most important thing they have, their health and wellness. My mantra has always been: self-care is non-negotiable."
Job Titles:
- CEO of Apparel Retailer Rue21, Effective April 3
For the last two years, Burris served as the CEO of nutrition retailer GNC, where he led a restructuring after the company was purchased by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Harbin Pharmaceutical Group in 2020.
Burris also held leadership roles at Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, DKNY, Karl Lagerfeld Paris, Calvin Klein Performance, Wilsons Leather, and GH Bass & Co.
Keith Siegner was appointed as the next EVP and CFO. He brings experience as CFO of esports company Vindex, as well as executive roles at Yum! Brands, UBS Securities and Credit Suisse.
Job Titles:
- Assistant General Counsel
- Senior VP
Kelly Collier was promoted to senior VP and assistant general counsel. She will oversee the business law team, and advise on operations and strategic initiatives.
Kimberly Villatoro was appointed to the CEO role at Patrick Ta Beauty.
Villatoro brings experience as VP of Estée Lauder brands Smashbox and Glamglow in North America. She also led and marketed the Barbie brand at Mattel.
Krystal Zell was appointed to the role of CEO at home strength training platform Tonal. Zell is rising to the top role after joining the company as president in July. She brings more than 20 years of experience from The Home Depot and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Laxman Narasimhan is now officially the CEO of Starbucks.
Narasimhan, the former CEO of CPG company Reckitt, was appointed in September as the successor to founder Howard Schultz, who returned in an interim role last year after several prior stints as CEO.
Narasimhan is rising to the top role several weeks earlier than expected. With the move, Narasimhan will lead the company's annual shareholder meeting later this week.
Lee A. Wright was named CEO of The Vitamin Shoppe on a permanent basis, after serving as interim CEO since January 2023. Wright previously served as Chief Commercial Officer of Franchise Group and in executive roles at Conn's.
Liz Williams is the new CEO of Foxtrot. (Courtesy photo)
Foxtrot, the delivery-forward corner store and cafe, promoted Liz Williams to the role of CEO.
Williams joined the grocer in June 2022 as president and CFO. Previously, Williams served as CFO of Taco Bell, and CEO of Drybar.
With the promotion, cofounder Mike LaVitola is transitioning to chairman of the Foxtrot board.
"Since joining our team last summer, Liz's inspirational leadership, deep admiration for the Foxtrot brand and depth of operating expertise has taken us to new heights," said LaVitola, in a statement. "We are thrilled for the opportunity to grow with Liz as our CEO as we introduce Foxtrot to more neighborhoods across the country."
Magdi Batato is set to retire as EVP and head of operations after 30 years at Nestlé, the world's largest food company announced.
After a transition in the second half of 2023, Stephanie Pullings Hart will assume the head of operations role, effective January 1, 2024. Pullings Hart previously had a 23-year stint at Nestlé, serving in roles across manufacturing, factory management, supply chain, research and development and human resources. Pullings Hart currently serves as SVP of operations at Warby Parker. Previously, she served as SVP of global operations at Beyond Meat.
"On behalf of our Board of Directors and our Executive Board, I would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to Magdi for his many contributions to Nestlé. We wish him all the best for this next chapter," said Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider, in a statement. "At the same time, we are delighted that Stephanie is returning to Nestlé. With her appointment, we are gaining a highly qualified leader with extensive experience across all areas of operations, and a proven track record in growing businesses. Her highly entrepreneurial and digital experience combined with her knowledge of Nestlé make her the ideal leader to take us forward."
Job Titles:
- Founder and CEO, Addison Bay
Mignon was previously VP of R&D. Now, she will oversee a team of five female chemists and the data science team.
Previously, Mignon spent eight years at L'Oréal.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Campbell Soup Company CEO
Job Titles:
- EVP and Chief Financial Officer at NIKE, Inc., Will Expand Responsibilities to Include Procurement, Global Places and Services and Demand and Supply Management
Matthew Friend, EVP and Chief Financial Officer at NIKE, Inc., will expand responsibilities to include procurement, global places and services and demand and supply management.
Job Titles:
- Bath & Body Works As Chief Customer Officer
- Chief Customer Officer of Bath & Body
Maurice Cooper will join Bath & Body Works as chief customer officer. The newly-created role will oversee growth and retention of customers, and the customer experience.
Job Titles:
- VP of Customer Fulfillment for North America at Amazon
Melissa Nick, a VP of customer fulfillment for North America at Amazon, will leave the company, effective June 16, CNBC reported. Nick joined the company in 2014, and oversaw a region that included nearly 300 fulfillment centers. After doubling its supply chain footprint during the pandemic, Amazon recently reorganized its fulfillment operations to take a regional approach, as opposed to a national model that often resulted in items shipping across the country.
Mike Baughn is set to join the team at Foot Locker as chief financial officer.
Previously, Baughn served as EVP of finance and treasurer at Kohls, where he spent 15 years in a variety of financial roles.
Job Titles:
- Beautycounter Appointed Board Member
Beautycounter appointed board member Mindy Mackenzie as interim CEO, succeeding Marc Rey. According to the brand, Rey and the board "mutually decided to transition to a new phase of leadership for Beautycounter."
Muriel Gonzalez was promoted to president of the retailer, after serving as EVP and chief merchandising and marketing officer of The Vitamin Shoppe since August 2020.
Job Titles:
- Chief Technology Officer, Bringing Experience from Modcloth, Walmart US ECommerce and the RealReal
Job Titles:
- Actor
- Chief Wellness Officer of Form Nutrition
announced a new role, and this one isn't scripted. Bloom will serve as chief wellness officer of Form Nutrition, a protein and supplement brand that recently expanded into the US market.
The Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean star will now be involved in the brand's product development process, and advise on creative direction. Bloom is also investing in the brand.
Job Titles:
- Artist
- Beauty Taps Estée Lauder Exec As CEO
Peggie Fort is joining the retailer as VP of inventory and demand management. She brings more than 30 years of experience, most recently as head of planning and allocation for specialty retail at Wayfair. Fort will oversee forecasting, ordering and inventory levels in collaboration with other departments.
Job Titles:
- Executive Chairman of Game
Ryan Cohen is executive chairman of GameStop. (Photo by Flickr user Bill Jerome, used under a Creative Commons) license.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- EVP
Scott Uzzell, the previous CEO of Converse, transitioned to a new role as VP/GM, North America for Nike, Inc.
Shripriya Mahesh is joining the board of directors at eBay.
Mahesh is currently general partner at early-stage venture capital firm Spero Ventures, and was a partner at Omidyar Network.
Mahesh is also a former executive at eBay, having served as VP and head of global product management and strategy, VP of US product marketing and platform and VP of corporate strategy.
Job Titles:
- New Chief Financial Officer of Rent
- Senior Vice President of FP & a
Sid Thacker will become the new chief financial officer of Rent the Runway, effective May 25. Thacker currently serves as senior vice president of FP&A, and previously served as a public investor.
Thacker succeeds Scarlett O'Sullivan, who served for more than seven years and helped the fashion rental service go public.
<p>Stephen Babcock is the editor of The Current. Previously, he spent seven years as an editor and reporter for Technical.ly, a news organization that serves a community of tech professionals with a focus in the mid-Atlantic. A graduate of Northeastern University, he has reported for a variety of digital and print publications, including The New York Times, NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune and Baltimore Fishbowl. Reach him at sbabcock@thecurrent.media.</p>
Thilina Gunasinghe was appointed chief digital and technology officer. She joins from McDonald's Corporation, where she most recently served as Global Vice President, Chief Technology Architect & Data Officer. The new role will include oversight of digital and technology strategy, digital operations, data and analytics, as well as transformation.
Tim Kilpin is joining the company as president of toy, licensing and entertainment. Kilpin brings experience as CEO of PlayMonster Group, head of Activision Blizzard's Consumer Products business, Chief Commercial Officer for Mattel and as EVP of franchise management at The Walt Disney Company.