US' Genesco appoints Chris Santaella as EVP & CMO of Journeys Group

Santaella will lead Journeys’ buying, merchandising, planning, and product strategies, building on Journeys foundation as a leader in teen fashion footwear retail, Genesco said in a press release.

Santaella joins Journeys from Foot Locker, where he served more than three decades in successive roles, most recently as senior vice president and chief merchandising officer responsible for Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, and Champs Sports. He led a 125-person global product organisation which included divisional buying teams, global product development and product strategy teams. In this role he developed and implemented global product strategies to drive and diversify Foot Locker’s business model, including successfully expanding Foot Locker’s brand portfolio through a curated consumer focused approach. Santaella will report to Andy Gray, Journeys president.

“Chris is an experienced industry veteran and brand strategist who brings a proven track record of leading global product teams. His exceptional brand leadership and strategic vision, coupled with his passion and commitment to youth culture, is the perfect fit to lead the talented Journeys buying and merchandising team as we continue our work to elevate and evolve the business for the future,” said Genesco board chair, president, and chief executive officer Mimi E Vaughn.

“I look forward to partnering with Chris, with whom I’ve worked closely with for many years of my career. He’s a highly respected industry leader known for his collaborative management style and successful long-term brand relationships who will strongly complement our already outstanding team,” said Journeys president Andy Gray. “Journeys is an iconic concept in teen fashion footwear, synonymous with many of the best global brands in the industry. Chris’ deep experience will help us build upon this solid foundation as we define the next chapter of Journeys’ growth.”

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)