May gave us a bit of déjà vu—the month started with another retail CEO being out of the job after an ethics policy violation, just two months after Rodney McMullen’s Kroger resignation. Here’s more on that, and other noteworthy moves in May:
- Kohl’s CEO Ashley Buchanan was ousted after pushing the retailer to conduct a “highly unusual” business deal with former Bed Bath & Beyond CEO Chandra Holt, who he was in a romantic relationship with—a violation of the company’s code of conduct. Chairman Michael Bender has assumed the role in the interim.
- Instacart CEO Fidji Simo will exit her role at the grocery delivery company to lead OpenAI as CEO of applications, and chief business officer Chris Rogers is slated to fill the vacant role, effective August 15.
- Bath & Body Works named Daniel Heaf as its new CEO, taking over for Gina Boswell, who joined to lead the personal care and home retailer in December 2022. Heaf was previously chief strategy and transformation officer at Nike before new CEO Elliott Hill eliminated the role.
- Now under new ownership of private equity firms Kingswood Capital Management and Performance Investment Partners, The Vitamin Shoppe brought back Sharon Leite as CEO. She previously led the retailer from 2018 to 2023, and is filling the role most recently held by Lee Wright.
- Dollar Tree tapped Duncan MacNaughton as CEO of Family Dollar, effective once the sale of the retailer to Brigade Capital Management and Macellum Capital Management is finalized in Q2.
- Thrive Market hired Amazon vet Scott Lescher as its first-ever COO.
- Hydro Flask-owner Helen of Troy’s CEO Noel Geoffrey departed her role after just a year with the company, replaced in the interim by CFO Brian Grass.
- Nike instituted a number of leadership shifts, including the exit of Heidi O’Neill, its president of consumer, product, and brand, and appointment of Amy Montagne as president of the Nike brand.
- Wendy Davidson vacated her role as CEO of Celestial Seasonings-owner Hain Celestial after two years at the food and beverage company.
- Balenciaga promoted chief product officer Nathalie Raynaud to deputy CEO. She fills the role left open after Laura du Rusquec departed to become Ganni’s CEO.
- Calvin Klein announced David Savman, parent company PVH’s global head of operations and chief supply chain officer, as its new global brand president, replacing Eva Serrano.
- Maria Grazia Chiuri, the first woman to hold the role of Christian Dior’s creative director of women’s collections, has stepped down after nine years.