Levi Strauss & Co. has named Michelle Gass, Kohl’s recent CEO, to the new posture of president, LS&Co., reporting to Chip Bergh, president & CEO.
Gass will be accountable for top the Levi’s manufacturer and the company’s world-wide digital and professional operations. With this announcement, the board of directors has put in movement a succession program for Gass to succeed Bergh as CEO in the subsequent 18 months.
Gass will start out her role with the organization on January 2 and is expected to join the LS&Co. Board of Administrators on her begin date. Kohl’s Corporation introduced that Gass strategies to stage down as CEO and member of the Kohl’s Board of Directors effective December 2, 2022.
Kohl’s Board appointed Tom Kingsbury to serve as interim CEO from December 2, 2022 until finally a lasting successor is named. The Board also formed a committee of the Board, led by Michael Bender and which include Christine Day, Margaret Jenkins, Peter Boneparth and Tom Kingsbury, to oversee the look for for a new CEO.
“We are delighted that an executive with Michelle’s history, encounter and stature is becoming a member of as president to do the job side-by-facet with Chip for a significant changeover period of time right before turning into CEO,” said Bob Eckert, chairman of the LS&Co. Board of Directors. “Michelle’s deep retail and omni-channel expertise blended with her track record of building brands and significant innovation is a best fit for the competencies needed to lead this enterprise for the lengthy time period and develop important benefit for our stakeholders.”
Gass delivers fantastic direct-to-shopper practical experience to LS&Co., possessing led the transformation strategy at Kohl’s to place the firm for very long-time period lucrative growth. She has pushed a considerable reinvention work for additional than 1,100 Kohl’s outlets, while developing the electronic small business at a double-digit compounded annual development rate to much more than $6 billion. She has also led a quantity of strategic improvements at Kohl’s, like the introduction of Amazon returns and spearheading the long-term strategic partnership with Sephora, which has expanded to 600 Sephora at Kohl’s outlets. While at Starbucks, she held many management roles in excess of approximately 17 decades and was instrumental in top lots of thriving merchandise improvements, which include growing the Frappuccino blended beverage model and launching the Starbucks loyalty software. Her final assignment at Starbucks was as President, Starbucks EMEA, leading their European, Center East and Africa business.
“One of my greatest legacies at LS&Co. will be my successor, passing the baton to another person who will consider the company to the up coming degree. I am thrilled not just about Michelle staying my successor, but also about acquiring the probability to get the job done carefully together all through the changeover,” Bergh mentioned. “I have regarded Michelle for a decade, and she has a lot of of the characteristics we value in our leaders: she is humble, approachable, clear and driven by objective and values. She has a keep track of document of constructing makes and talent. Michelle also brings extra than 25 yrs of retail and omni-channel experience, together with a shown keep track of record of innovation, driving transformational ‘big ideas’ not just on merchandise but also business enterprise products. With this move, I am even additional confident in this company’s long term.”
Kohl’s Board Chair Peter Boneparth mentioned, “The Board is grateful for Michelle’s numerous contributions since she joined the Company in 2013. Beneath her management, the business has driven a strategic transformation, expanded its partnerships and brand name portfolio, and supported an inclusive and collaborative culture. On behalf of all Kohl’s associates, we would like her nicely in her up coming endeavor.”
“I am amazingly very pleased of what the group at Kohl’s has completed and I’m pretty self-confident in their ability to travel ongoing innovation, development and worth for prospects,” Gass stated. “Kohl’s associates and model associates are an inspiration to me, and I am certainly grateful to have experienced the option to operate with this excellent workforce and corporation.”
Gass has an MBA from the College of Washington, Michael G. Foster School of Business, and a B.S. in chemical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. In addition to serving on the PepsiCo. Board of Directors, she is also on the Board of the Retail Marketplace Leaders Affiliation and the Countrywide Retail Federation. She beforehand served on the Cigna and Ann Inc. Boards of Directors.
“I am thrilled to join Levi Strauss & Co., with its legendary manufacturers, amazing crew and unwavering dedication to company citizenship,” Gass said. “With the Levi’s brand name more robust than ever, Dockers reinvigorated and the Further than Yoga acquisition expanding the company’s addressable marketplace, I glance forward to doing the job alongside Chip and his proficient crew to know the incredible possible for the business in the many years to occur.”
