Fort Myers, Fla. — Chico’s FAS, Inc. has appointed Diane Ellis — former CEO of The Limited — as president of its Chico’s brand, effective November 1, 2016. She will report directly to Shelley Broader, president and CEO of Chico’s FAS.
Ellis has more than 35 years of retail experience and joins Chico’s from The Limited, where she served as chief executive officer and was instrumental in driving the strategy behind the company’s growth and business transformation over the past 3 years. Prior to The Limited, Ellis was president and chief operating officer of Brooks Brothers, where she led the stores, ecommerce, IT, HR, sourcing, product development, finance, supply chain and planning functions.
“Diane is a seasoned leader who has proven time and again that she is one of the most strategic business and brand builders in retail. She brings merchandising, marketing and operational expertise as well as a strong passion for our customers,” says Broader. “As we continue to position our company to win in the future, I am proud to welcome Diane to Chico’s.”
Prior to Brooks Brothers, Ellis was the founding partner of Lighthouse Retail Group, managing director for the retail strategy practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers, and director of merchandise planning, allocation and inventory control at Filene’s.
Chico’s FAS, Inc., whose brands include Chico’s, White House Black Market and Soma, is a leading omnichannel specialty retailer of women’s private branded, sophisticated, casual-to-dressy clothing, intimates, complementary accessories, and other non-clothing items. As of July 30, 2016, the company operated 1,517 stores in the U.S. and Canada and sold merchandise through franchise locations in Mexico. For more information, visit www.chicosfas.com.
SOURCE: Chico’s FAS, Inc.