Michelle Gass leaves Kohl’s for Levi’s
Levi Strauss & Co has announced the appointment of Michelle Gass, former CEO of Kohl’s, to a new position, president. She will report to Chip Bergh, president & CEO. The San Francisco-based brand has made clear that it is “putting in motion a succession plan” for Ms Gass to succeed Mr Bergh as president & CEO “within the next 18 months”.
Ms Gass brings “exceptional direct-to-consumer experience having led the transformation strategy at Kohl’s to position the company for long-term profitable growth. She has driven a significant reinvention effort for more than 1,100 Kohl’s stores, while growing the digital business at a double-digit compounded annual growth rate to more than $6 billion,” reads the official statement. One of her tasks will be to pursue the five-year growth plan made public by the group’s executives at its investor day earlier this year.
Ms Gass holds an MBA from the University of Washington, Michael G. Foster School of Business, and a B.S. in chemical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Before working for the US-based retailer Kohl’s, she held various positions at Starbucks.
Image courtesy LS&Co: Michell Gass (right), Chip Bergh (left)
