Fresh off the mega Premier Investments’ Apparel Brands combination deal, Myer’s Executive Chairwoman Olivia Wirth has introduced major changes to the executive team.
Myer’s Chief Financial Officer Matt Jackson is now leaving the company after a tenure of eight years and will be replaced by Kathy Karabatsas, who has previously served as the Chief Financial Officer of David Jones and Managing Director and Finance Director of Lion Dairy & Drink.
Myer also appointed Megan Collins as Chief People Officer who will take on the role from April 28, while Belinda Slifkas has been appointed Chief Merchandise Officer.
Mark Medwell, from Cotton On Group, will join as Chief Information Officer.
Darren Wedding is the company’s chief supply chain officer, and joins from Super Retail, which is the owner of Supercheap Auto, Rebel and BCF, among others.
Dean Simpson, who ran British retailer Marks & Spencer’s store renewal programme, is also reported to be joining Myer as general manager of store renewal.
Former Qantas executive Olivia Wirth was appointed Myer executive chairwoman last year
“These leadership changes materially enhance our capability to drive the next phase of growth for the expanded Myer group,” said Wirth, according to the Australian Financial Review.
“The reshaped team is aligned to our strategic vision to create a leading Australian retail platform, building on the strength of our brands with the fresh thinking and expertise of experienced … leaders.”
These major changes to its executive team comes months after Wirth undertook a similar exercise last year, which ChannelNews reported here.
In that round of management changes, new roles were created within the company including for general manager merchandise for beauty, accessories and services and a general merchandise manager for women’s apparel, as well as a new role of general manager for digital commerce.
The new role of general manager for digital commerce was taken over by Warwick Blunt.
The other new role created by Wirth was that of a chief transformation officer, filled by Andrew Taylor who was the head of corporate development at Qantas Loyalty.
Long-time Qantas marketing veteran Clarabella Burley was also appointed as Myer’s Chief Marketing Officer.
Wirth’s race to fill top positions within the company comes as the Apparel Brands combination, including Just Jeans, Jay Jays, Portmans, Dotti and Jacqui E brands, means that Myer now has a footprint of 783 department and specialty stores, supported by a workforce of more than 17,000.
“Our combined business will be a leading omni-channel retail platform with pro forma historical annual sales of more than $4 billion in FY24,” said Wirth. Steering Wirth’s overall direction for the company is Premier’s Solomon Lew who has now returned to Myer’s board as a director.
