People Moves, April 2026: Ganni, Puma, John Lewis and more...

This month's people moves have been dominated by a game of musical chairs in the sportswear industry, with Puma leading the way. As the company looks to establish itself as a top-three global sports brand, it has made no fewer than three new executive hires. Meanwhile, Lululemon has appointed a new CEO, JD Sports' Chair has departed the company, and Rapha has appointed a new board member.

Yet this does not mean that the rest of the industry hasn't seen its fair share of leadership changes. From Ganni's and The White Company's CEOs leaving, to new appointments at Debenhams, John Lewis and Patagonia, a lot has happened in April.

TheIndustry.fashion highlights the most notable appointments, spanning roles from CEOs and commercial leadership to creative directors and finance positions.

HOFF appoints new CEO targeting triple business growth over next five years

Spanish sneaker brand HOFF, which opened its second UK store at 124 Long Acre in London’s Covent Garden in February, appointed Nicolas De Ros Wallace as its new CEO, effective 1 May 2026.

The Very Group confirms permanent appointment of interim CFO

The Very Group, which operates digital retailer Very, appointed Edward Fry as Chief Financial Officer on a permanent basis. Fry has served as interim CFO since September 2025, after previously holding the role of Group Finance Director.

Ganni CEO exits after two years

Ganni's CEO, Laura du Rusquec, departed from the company quietly after two years, with Hans Hoegstedt, a retail executive and former CEO of Tom Dixon, taking over as interim executive.

The White Company CEO departs after two years

The White Company confirmed that its CEO, Paula Nickolds, has decided to step down from her role after two years, following her husband’s serious illness.

Casablanca Paris appoints ex-Saint Laurent Director as new CEO

Luxury fashion house Casablanca Paris appointed Didier Nguyen as Chief Executive Officer. Nguyen takes over from current CEO Frederick Lukoff, who served in the role since 2023 and is now moving into a senior advisory role.

Former LVMH exec launches Ireland’s first luxury group

Ashley McDonnell, an Irish-American executive with experience across LVMH, Google and Puig, launched VYKO Group, a new holding company designed to acquire and scale emerging luxury Irish brands.

JD Sports Chair exits following reported disagreement over CEO

JD Sports Chair Andy Higginson announced his intention to step down from his role in July, with recent reports suggesting that his departure follows a failed attempt to convince the board to oust CEO Regis Schultz.

Lululemon appoints Nike veteran as new CEO

Lululemon appointed Nike veteran Heidi O’Neill as its new Chief Executive Officer, starting 8 September 2026. She will be based in Vancouver, Canada.

Puma appoints Nike and ASICS alum as Vice President of Global Wholesale

Puma continued its hiring spree with the appointment of former Nike and ASICS alumni Bertrand Blanc as Vice President of Global Wholesale.

Puma sharpens competitive edge with former Adidas exec appointment

Former Vice President of Originals, Basketball and Partnerships Europe at Adidas, Laurent Fricker, joined Puma to lead its Sportstyle Business Unit.

Debenhams Group names Chief Technology Officerto scale marketplace

Debenhams Group promoted Paul Aspden to the role of Chief Technology Officer to scale its marketplace and drive AI innovation as the business enters its “next phase of growth”.

Patagonia poaches Hugo Boss comms chief to head up EMEA marketing

US outdoor apparel brand Patagonia appointed Amanda Calder-McLaren in the newly created role of Senior Director of Marketing & Impact for EMEA.

Debenhams Group appoints ex-ASOS director to ‘accelerate youth brand turnaround’

Debenhams Group hired former ASOS director Nikki Tattersall as Chief Product Officer to further drive the turnaround of its youth fashion brands.

John Lewis appoints Creative Director for fashion amid own-brand expansion

John Lewis appointed Jacqui Markham as its new Fashion Creative Director, succeeding Queralt Ferrer, who stepped down after four years with the company.

Puma taps ex-Adidas VP as new creative lead as competition heats up

Puma tapped former Adidas VP of Global Brand Strategy, James Carnes, to lead its creative direction as it aims to establish itself as a top-three global sports brand.

Dolce & Gabbana appoints former Gucci exec as co-CEO

Dolce & Gabbana appointed former Gucci CEO Stefano Cantino as its new Co-CEO. He will be working alongside the newly appointed Chair and Co-CEO Alfonso Dolce.

Jigsaw appoints new Retail Director to drive store expansion

Jigsaw appointed Chris Browne as Retail Director to lead the next phase of its bricks-and-mortar expansion.

Dolce & Gabbana co-founder and Chair Stefano Gabbana has stepped down

News emerged that Stefano Gabbana, the co-founder of the Italian luxury fashion house Dolce & Gabbana, had stepped down as Chair of the company back in January.

Victoria Beckham Chair Ralph Toledano exits

Ralph Toledano, the Chair of Victoria Beckham, confirmed that he will be stepping down from his position after eight years.

Matalan bolsters product leadership team with two new hires

Matalan strengthened its product leadership team with the appointment of Angela Gaskell as Director of Sourcing, Purchasing, Quality & Fit, and Jonty Wilson as Head of Quality & Technical.

M&S to 'shape future of retail buying and merchandising' with new appointment

Marks & Spencer appointed Sital Nakarja as its Transformation Lead for its Planning Programme, across its fashion, home and beauty departments. She said she is looking to "shape the future of retail buying and merchandising operations".

Whistles bolsters senior leadership with ex-Boohoo and ex-Hobbs execs

Premium womenswear brand Whistles bolstered its senior leadership with the appointment of two new director roles, with the aim of driving long-term and sustained growth.

Rapha appoints former Salomon CBO to board to drive growth

British cycling brand Rapha appointed former Salomon Chief Brand Officer, Scott Mellin, to its board of directors as it looks to grow its reach in the market.

Dr. Martens restructures leadership to deliver 'consumer-first' strategy

Dr. Martens announced a restructuring of its senior leadership, introducing the position of General Managers for five of its key markets to simplify its operating model.

HURR founder looks to new business venture after stepping away from resale platform

The founder and former CEO of rental fashion platform HURR, Victoria Prew, stepped away from the business and is "all-in" on her next venture.

Carven Design Director Mark Thomas exits

Mark Thomas, the Design Director of the Paris fashion house Carven, is leaving his role at this end of the month to pursue other opportunities.

Morleys department stores appoints Chief Trading Officer

Independent department store Morleys appointed Melanie Smallwood as its newly created Chief Trading Officer (CTO), where she takes full responsibility for the group’s buying and merchandising functions.