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Key insight:
Bed, Bath & Beyond has appointed L Brands exec Cindy Davis as chief brand officer and executive vice president. Davis will also serve as president of the company’s online interior design service, Decorist.
Davis currently serves as evp and chief digital marketing officer for L Brands, and will join Bed, Bath & Beyond officially on May 26, reporting directly to president and CEO Mark Tritton.
“Cindy has an incredible track record leading brand strategy, digital and consumer insights for some of the largest and most beloved brands in the country,” Tritton said in a statement. “Her expertise will be invaluable as we strengthen our omni-always shopping experience and deepen our relationship with customers.”
Davis’ departure from L Brands follows a long decline for the former retail conglomerate, which announced in February that it would sell a 55% stake in Victoria’s Secret to private equity firm Sycamore Partners—the last of its iconic clothing retailers. Earlier this month, however, L Brands and Sycamore Partners agreed to terminate that deal, but L Brands is still proceeding with its decision to separate Victoria’s Secret from Bath & Body Works as a standalone company. Since 2007, L Brands has slowly offloaded many of its shops, selling brands like its flagship The Limited, Lane Bryant and Express.
Bed, Bath & Beyond has struggled to keep up in a changing retail environment. After parting ways with longtime CEO Steven Temares last year, Tritton stepped in as top executive and promptly shook up the C-suite, swapping out five executives during his first month in the role. The addition of Davis as chief brand officer marks the seventh executive to join Tritton’s team since he took the reins.
Prior to her role at L Brands, Davis was evp of consumer experience at Disney/ABC Television. She also has experience in strategic leadership positions at companies such as Walmart, Sam’s Club, Yum! Brands, Starwood Hotels and Hilton Hotels.
https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/bed-bath-beyond-appoints-l-brands-exec-as-new-chief-brand-officer/