In Review 2023: The big fashion and retail appointments
2023 has seen a lot of change in the fashion and retail industry, with several high-profile businesses changing leaders, appointing new executives and launching new strategies.
As we approach 2024, TheIndustry.fashion has curated a list of the most important appointments from the past year. Each headline directs to further information on the appointment.
LVMH appointed new Louis Vuitton CEO in management shake-up
In January, the luxury fashion group LVMH appointed Pietro Beccari, Head of Christian Dior Couture, to the role of Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton, amid a management shake-up at the business.
Beccari succeeded Michael Burke, who took up "new responsibilities” and reports directly to Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH.
Stella McCartney appointed former L'Oréal director as new CEO
In November, Luxury fashion brand Stella McCartney appointed Amandine Ohayon as its new Chief Executive Officer, which came into effect on 1 December 2023.
Christopher Raeburn appointed as Global Creative Director of Napapijri
Christopher Raeburn, who is also the founder of his eponymous RÆBURN brand, is no stranger to VF Corporation, having also previously held the role of Global Creative Director at Timberland, also owned by the American apparel and footwear company, which counts The North Face, Vans, Dickies, Supreme and more in its extensive brand portfolio.
FARFETCH appointed former Amazon chief as CFO
FARFETCH has appointed Tim Stone as its Chief Financial Officer, effective 1 September 2023. Stone succeeded Elliot Jordan, who exited the company on 31 August 2023.
With marketplace and technology experience, Stone has spent over 20 years in senior finance roles at Amazon, including CFO for its AWS, Devices and Digital Content businesses.
John Lewis Partnership appointed a turnaround expert as its first-ever CEO
The John Lewis Partnership appointed Nish Kankiwala as its first-ever CEO as the group continued its ambitious transformation plan.
The former Hovis CEO and Chairman took on the newly created role on March 27 2023. He first joined the group, which runs the department store chain and grocery retailer Waitrose, as a Non-Executive Director in April 2021.
FARFETCH appointed Elizabeth von der Goltz as CEO of Browns
Global luxury fashion platform FARFETCH appointed Elizabeth von der Goltz as CEO and Chief Fashion and Merchandising Officer of Browns.
Lea Rytz Goldman appointed Tommy Hilfiger’s Global Brand President
In November, PVH Corp announced the appointment of Lea Rytz Goldman as Global Brand President of Tommy Hilfiger to “lead the iconic brand globally to unlock its full potential”.
Rytz Goldman is expected to take the helm at Tommy Hilfiger by the Spring of 2024 and report to Stefan Larsson, the CEO of PVH. This senior leadership appointment is another step in the PVH+ Plan to build Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger into the most desirable lifestyle brands in the world.
AMIRI appoints former Burberry SVP Adrian Ward-Rees as CEO
AMIRI, the fashion label renowned for its skeleton trainers, appointed Burberry’s former Senior Vice President Adrian Ward-Rees as Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 April 2023.
Adrian Ward-Rees established an early career in fashion as a buyer and merchandiser at Selfridges, going on to work with Nike and Speedo before transitioning into the luxury market. Adrian brought over 30 years of experience in the fashion and luxury goods sector to his new role at AMIRI.
Burberry appointed ex-Alexander McQueen COO as Chief Supply Chain and Industrial Officer
Bierbrauer's appointment came as the British luxury house continued to form a top team to deliver on the new vision for 'Modern British Luxury'. In his new role, Bierbrauer will lead Burberry’s supply chain and product development teams globally.
Ex Alexander Wang exec appointed Chief Marketing Officer at Timberland
In her new role, she leads the brand’s global marketing team across the Americas, APAC and EMEA regions to drive consumer activations with a focus on the digital arena.
River Island appointed two Co-Managing Directors
Eskriett joined River Island from Boohoo Group, where she served as Managing Director of Karen Millen, Coast, Oasis and Warehouse since May 2021. Meanwhile, Grainger joined from his role as Managing Director of NEXT for Europe and North Africa Sourcing.
VF Corp appointed Bracken Darrell as President and CEO
VF Corporation, owner of The North Face and Vans, appointed ex-Logitech executive Bracken Darrell to the role of President and CEO, effective 17 July 2023.
Darrell joined VF Corporation from Logitech International, where he has served as President and CEO since 2013. Under his leadership, Logitech expanded into over 20 new product categories, more than doubled revenue, and achieved a tenfold increase in market capitalisation.
Fursac's Elina Kousourna named CEO of Maje
Kousourna moved into her new role after three years as Head of the Fursac brand. Under her leadership, and that of its Creative Director, Gauthier Borsarello, Fursac accelerated its growth in France and Europe. The brand changed its name and entered the official Fashion Week calendar in 2022.
Matalan appointed the former Lidl chief as chair and named new CEO
The moves were made after a group of investors, which includes Invesco, Man GLG, and Tresidor Investment Management, took over the running of Matalan from founder John Hargreaves in January of this year. They agreed to exchange about £150m of what they are owed in return for equity in the business and to inject £100m to fund its turnaround.
eBay appointed ex-ASOS Brand Manager as UK General Manager
In March, eBay confirmed that Eve Williams was promoted to Vice President and general Manager of its UK business. Williams joined eBay in December 2020 as UK CMO and has overseen several high-profile campaigns.
Williams has been behind some of eBay's recent campaigns including its pre-loved fashion partnership with Love Island, the revival of MTV’s iconic Pimp my Ride series, and the introduction of a new brand platform, The eBay Way.
Jigsaw appointed retail veteran Hash Ladha as CEO
Premium fashion retailer, Jigsaw, appointed industry veteran Hash Ladha to replace Beth Butterwick as CEO, effective November 2023.
Before his new appointment, Ladha was the Group CEO at Oasis and Warehouse. During this time, the retail exec was making headwinds at turning the company around prior to a hefty setback from the pandemic, later causing them to sell to Boohoo. He previously held senior roles at Asos, New Look and Dorothy Perkins.
Luxury retailer LuisaViaRoma appointed new CEO
In August, the Florence-based luxury retailer LuisaViaRoma, renowned for its e-commerce channel, announced the appointment of Tommaso Maria Andorlini as its Chief Executive Officer. Andorlini succeeded Alessandra Rossi, who had held the position for just shy of two years.
Tom Ford Fashion appointed LVMH president as new CEO
Zegna Group, the licensee of Tom Ford Fashion, appointed Lelio Gavazza as the brand's new CEO, effective from 18 September 2023.
As CEO of Tom Ford Fashion, Gavazza is responsible for the end-to-end of the business, including collection development, merchandising, production, retail and wholesale distribution.
JD appointed first-ever Global Managing Director to help further drive growth
Sportswear giant JD Sports appointed Michael Armstrong as its first-ever Global Managing Director, a newly-created role to help further drive the group’s growth and meet its ambition to become the "leading global sports-fashion powerhouse".
Armstrong will report to Group Chief Executive Officer Régis Schultz, overseeing the strategic direction of the JD brand, its operations and colleagues, alongside the continued business development and growth of the JD fascia globally.
Manolo Blahnik appointed former La Perla MD as Chief Commercial Officer
Luxury footwear brand Manolo Blahnik has appointed Elodie Bougenault, formerly MD of EMEA and Head of Retail Operations Worldwide at La Perla, as Chief Commercial Officer, effective 26 June 2023.
In her role at Manolo Blahnik, Bougenault will be responsible for delivering and executing the global commercial direction of the brand across wholesale, retail and digital channels. Establishing a strong voice in new and existing markets, she will lead the company’s ambitious expansion plans in particular utilising her wealth of experience in the Asian market.
Simon Holloway named Creative Director of luxury brand Dunhill
Holloway has a "deep and rich understanding of English style and design codes", according to Dunhill. His aesthetic choices embody heritage, which will help the brand create timeless and appropriate collections for its British heritage and customer.
Pentland Brands appointed former Disney exec as new CFO
In the role, Burridge is responsible for the global Pentland Brands finance function, shaping the financial strategy and driving business performance.
