Genesco has appointed Mimi Eckel Vaughn, currently the company’s senior vice president and chief operating officer, as the new president and chief executive officer, effective February 2, 2020. Genesco, a specialty retailer, sells footwear and accessories in more than 1,490 retail stores in the US, Canada, the UK, and the Republic of Ireland.

In addition, Vaughn was elected to Genesco’s board of directors, effective October 30, 2019. Vaughn will become Genesco’s 12th president and chief executive officer in its 95-year history. Vaughn will succeed Robert J. Dennis, Genesco’s current chairman, president, and chief executive officer, who will continue to serve as the company’s executive chairman.

Vaughn joined Genesco as vice president, strategy and business development in 2003, was promoted to senior vice president, strategy and business development in 2006, and was named senior vice president, strategy and shared services in 2009. Vaughn became chief financial officer in 2015, and was named Genesco’s chief operating officer in January 2018. She formally assumed the role in May 2019 following the appointment of Mel Tucker as chief financial officer, according to Genesco.

Prior to joining the company, Vaughn was executive vice president of business development and marketing, and acting chief financial officer for Link2Gov in Nashville. From 1993 to 1999, she was a consultant at McKinsey & company, based in Atlanta. During her tenure at McKinsey, Vaughn advised senior executives and board members, specialising in the consumer and retail sectors. Before joining McKinsey, Vaughn held corporate finance positions at Goldman Sachs, Wasserstein Perella, and Drexel Burnham Lambert.

Vaughn has received a bachelor of science degree in foreign service and international economics from Georgetown University magna cum laude and earned a master of business administration degree from Harvard Business School, where she graduated with distinction.

“Vaughn’s appointment as president and chief executive officer is a further step in our succession planning process, which began several years ago and led to her recent promotion as our chief operating officer. She has a proven track record as an exceptional leader demonstrated through successive roles at Genesco, including heading our corporate strategy and shared services areas, serving as chief financial officer, and most recently, leading the Company as chief operating officer. I look forward to supporting Mimi and the entire management team as we work together to continue Genesco's terrific positive momentum we have experienced since we divested Lids in February 2019,” Dennis said.

“I am honoured to have the opportunity to lead Genesco forward as we enter the next chapter of our company’s growth creating and curating leading footwear brands. I look forward to working with Bob, our management team, and with our tremendously talented and dedicated employees to build on the company’s strong foundation and most recent success and continue to execute on our strategic vision to build shareholder value as a leading footwear-focused company,” Vaughn said.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (GK)

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