Rue21 has appointed Bill Brand as the company’s chief executive officer. Brand, who has a track record of being a visionary leader that builds high performing teams, is credited for his ability to accelerate growth by creating unique brand experiences. Rue21 is a fashion destination that promises to give customers quality styles at accessible prices.
Most recently, as president of HSN and as chief retail officer of Carnival corporation, Brand led teams to build out sophisticated omni-channel infrastructure that drove revenue to record highs. Brand will take the helms from interim CEO John Fleming, who will return as a board member, the company said in a media statement.
With nearly 700 stores in 45 states and 2.6 million social followers, the fashion retailer is one of the few with a positive story to tell; store re-openings after pandemic closures outperformed year-over-year monthly sales. Most recently, Rue21’s business is up double digits compared to the total apparel market down 12 per cent in September 2020. The retailer recently opened new brick-and-mortar stores.
Brand most recently served as the chief retail officer of Carnival Corporation & PLC, where he was recruited to lead the creation of a new retail arm for the $18 billion global cruise company that serves 13 million guests per year. Brand serves as vice chair of the National Retail Federation Foundation and Habitat for Humanity International, and is on the board of directors of the Moffitt Cancer Center Foundation.
“We chose Bill because of his impressive track record in building high performance teams and his industry-recognised leadership abilities to modernise retail brands. Under his leadership, we will leverage Rue21’s recent growth by doubling down on omni-channel enhancements to create more compelling customer experiences,” Fleming said.
“The opportunity to grow a retail brand with such a strong foundation and brand commitment to fashion, affordability and inclusivity is one that both humbles and thrills me. I am excited to leverage the unique momentum that Rue21 has achieved during this historic time and I'd like to congratulate the entire team on their efforts. I can’t wait to meet with this dedicated team and work alongside associates to leverage our collective strengths. Through creative partnerships and programmes, we will bring our customers new experiences that will further connect them with one of the most compelling, yet under the radar brands in the US,” Brand said.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (GK)
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