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Bloomingdale’s has appointed Olivier Bron as its next CEO, the Macy’s-owned retailer announced Tuesday. Bron succeeds Tony Spring, who served as CEO of Bloomingdale’s since 2014 but was appointed in March to fill the role of Macy’s CEO and president upon Jeff Gennette’s departure next year.
Bron brings international retail experience to Bloomingdale’s. The French businessman was most recently CEO of Central Group’s Central and Robinson Department Stores in Thailand. (The group also owns international department stores including London’s Selfridges and Berlin’s Kadewe.) Prior to this, he was COO of French retail group Galeries Lafayette. Before joining Galeries Lafayette, Bron spent 12 years focused on retail transformation at management consulting firm Bain Company.
“I am honoured to be named the next CEO of Bloomingdale’s,” Bron said in the release. “Throughout its 150+ year history, Bloomingdale’s has represented the best assortment of premium products in the marketplace. I’ve been a long-time admirer of the brand and of Tony, who has built the foundation for such an incredible organisation with inspiring talent and loyal customers.”
According to the release, Bloomingdale’s remains the cornerstone of the company’s “luxury growth vector”. Bron will be tasked with driving this growth: “I look forward to building on the team’s momentum across Bloomingdale’s, including new store formats and continued digital expansion,” he said.
The department store sector in the US has struggled on a tough consumer outlook. In August’s second-quarter earnings, Macy’s reported a revenue decrease of 8 per cent year-on-year. Bloomingdale’s was a brighter spot, with comparable sales down 2.7 per cent year-on-year.
“In Olivier, we have found an authentic and charismatic leader who understands and appreciates Bloomingdale’s culture, unique positioning in the marketplace, and unparalleled multicategory assortment,” Spring said in the release. “His extensive international retail career and deep knowledge of the luxury market will be invaluable as we pursue additional opportunities for growth. I am confident that Olivier’s leadership, expertise, and enthusiasm will further strengthen the Bloomingdale’s brand to ensure we remain like no other store in the world.”
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