Kontoor Brands appoints Karen Smith as Executive VP of Global Supply Chain

Kontoor Brands, owners of Wrangler and Lee, has today announced the appointment of Karen Smith as Executive Vice President of Supply Chain, effective 1 May 2021.

Smith will be responsible for all aspects of Supply Chain management including: global operations, planning, global manufacturing and sourcing, responsible sourcing, product quality and stewardship, customer service, distribution and logistics and master data governance.

As a member of the company’s Executive Leadership Team, she will report to Kontoor’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Scott Baxter.

In a statement, Scott Baxter said: “Karen brings extensive experience across all aspects of responsible and efficient supply chain management. More importantly, she’s a proven leader with a talent for building and motivating teams along with a deep commitment to Kontoor’s culture. She’s a perfect fit for this critical role.”

Smith currently serves as Vice President of Global Supply Chain Operations, a role she assumed after Kontoor’s 2019 spinoff from VF Corporation. At VF she held several positions, including Vice President of Supply Chain for Jeanswear, Imagewear, Sportswear and Timberland, and Vice President of Global Supply Chain Operations for Timberland.

Smith succeeds Randy Fortenberry, who has announced his intent to retire at the end of April 2021 after more than 30 years of serving VF and Kontoor’s supply chain organisations.

Baxter continued: “Over the last several months, we’ve been planning for the seamless transition of this key role – a tribute to both the depth of talent in our supply chain organisation, and the care and discipline we put into our succession planning.”