San Francisco — Gap Inc. has named Maggie Gauger as global brand president and CEO of Athleta, effective August 1, as Chris Blakeslee steps down from the role. Gauger joins the company from Nike. “We are thrilled for Maggie Gauger to join as CEO of Athleta as we look to accelerate the brand’s reinvigoration,” says Richard Dickson, Gap Inc. CEO. “Maggie blends proven business transformation capabilities, deep consumer centricity, product fluency and a heartfelt commitment to empowering women and girls. This combination of skills and experiences will equip her to …
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Irvine, Calif. — Effective August 18, 2025, Nate Smith will become president and chief executive officer and director of Tilly’s, Inc. In conjunction with this appointment, Hezy Shaked, co-founder, executive chairman and current president/CEO, will transition into the executive chairman role effective on that date. “On behalf of myself and the board, we are very excited to have Nate join our leadership team, and I am looking forward to working closely with him as he transitions into Tillys,” says Shaked. “We believe Nate’s combination of robust industry experience, core values …
Dallas — Bonchon, a global leader in Korean fried chicken, has added new appointments to its development team as it doubles down on U.S. and international expansion. Industry veteran David Wheeler (pictured here) has joined the company as vice president of development, while Michel Haddad has been appointed director of design and construction. “David brings the kind of franchise development expertise and industry relationships that are essential to driving Bonchon’s next phase of growth,” says CEO Suzie Tsai. “He will pursue ambitious multi-unit operators in high-potential markets as we focus …
Miami — Subway®, one of the world’s largest restaurant brands, has named Jonathan Fitzpatrick as chief executive officer (CEO), effective July 28, 2025, following a comprehensive search. With more than two decades of franchising and quick-service restaurant experience, Fitzpatrick has a proven track record of elevating sales and operational performance across global networks. Most recently, he served as president and CEO of Driven Brands where he led a best-in-class team to 17 consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth. Previously, Fitzpatrick served in a range of senior leadership positions at Burger …
New York City — Saks Global, the largest multi-brand luxury retailer in the world, has appointed Brandy Richardson as chief financial officer, effective Aug. 18, 2025. Richardson succeeds the interim chief financial officer, Mark Weinsten, who joined Saks Global to lead the company’s finance organization through the initial stages of its transformation following its acquisition of Neiman Marcus Group in December 2024. With nearly 25 years of experience, Richardson joins Saks Global from Tailored Brands, Inc., where she has served as executive vice president and chief financial officer since 2021. …
Houston — Brandy Richardson, chief financial officer of Tailored Brands, Inc., will be leaving to pursue another opportunity (as CFO of Saks Global), effective July 25, 2025. Tailored Brands has launched a search for a successor. In the interim, the existing finance team will report to John Tighe, president and forthcoming chief executive officer. “Since joining us in 2021, Brandy has contributed to our successful business and financial transformation,” says Peter Sachse, current Tailored Brands CEO and forthcoming executive chairman. “With a strong foundation in place, I’m confident that with …
Atlanta — Edible Brands®, the parent company of Edible Arrangements®, Roti Modern Mediterranean® and Edibles.com, has appointed seasoned restaurant and franchising leader Matthew Walls as president and chief stores officer. A seasoned executive with extensive experience across operations, development, technology and general management, Walls will play a critical role in driving innovation, empowering franchisees and elevating all three of the brand’s core businesses. Walls’ background spans a variety of disciplines, from logistics and business intelligence to domestic and international growth, equipping him with a broad, strategic lens for scaling complex …
Charlotte, N.C. — Rack Room Shoes, a leading footwear retailer, has made significant promotions within its leadership team, reflecting the company’s strategy to align its operations for continued growth. Rack Room Shoes has realigned its merchandising and digital strategies to navigate the evolving retail landscape. The organizational changes are being implemented to drive further growth and innovation while continuing to build on the company’s legacy. • Brian Burnett, senior vice president, general merchandise manager, has been promoted to senior vice president, chief merchandise officer (CMO). In this expanded role, he …
St. Louis — Panera Bread has created a new Office of Transformation & Strategy, with Nikka Copeland heading up the new office as senior vice president. In this role, Copeland will manage the strategic execution of Panera’s 3-year growth plan, driving business model clarity that will be instrumental as the company transforms for sustained performance and growth. Copeland joined the Panera executive team on June 24, reporting to CEO Paul Carbone. Copeland brings more than 20 years of experience across multiple industries including foodservice. She is known for leading enterprise-wide …
Bolingbrook, Ill. — Ulta Beauty, Inc. has named Chris Lialios, its senior vice president – controller, as interim chief financial officer, effective immediately. He succeeds Paula Oyibo, who has left Ulta Beauty. The company has commenced an external search for a permanent successor with the assistance of a leading executive search firm. Lialios has served as senior vice president – controller since 2018 with responsibility for the company’s financial reporting, internal controls and accounting policy. He joined Ulta Beauty in 1999 as assistant controller. “Chris has been a respected leader …