The top retail C-suite moves in March

While we’re still awaiting news of Lululemon’s new chief exec amid the increasingly contentious search, many other retailers landed on C-suite decisions this month. Here are the ones to know:

• A week before reports claimed the company was mulling a merger with Estée Lauder, Puig appointed Jose Manuel Albesa, its deputy CEO and beauty and fashion president, as its new CEO, taking over for Marc Puig, who shifted to executive chair.
• Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos is stepping down from his role on January 1, and Ahold Delhaize USA CEO JJ Fleeman will exit his position in June with plans to fill Vasos’s role. Ahold Delhazie USA also promoted Abby Cook, VP of US strategy and portfolio, to SVP of Own Brands.
• David Simon, president and CEO of retail real estate giant Simon Property Group since 1995, died at age 64. His son, Eli Simon, was named to succeed him.
• Swiss sneaker company On announced its five-year CEO Martin Hoffmann will be replaced by co-CEOS David Allemann and Caspar Coppetti on May 1 as the company enters its “next growth phase.”
• Vera Bradley named Ian Bickley, a Coach vet and former CEO of The Body Shop, as its next chief exec, and Martin Layding as its chief operating and financial officer.
• Build-A-Bear Workshop CEO Sharon Price John, who has led the company since 2013, is retiring on June 11, with chief operations and experience officer Chris Hurt set to take over.
• LVMH tapped exec Philippe Farnier as deputy beauty CEO of Parfums Christian Dior.
• After hiring a new chief brand officer last month, Claire’s further built out its C-suite, adding Walmart and Macy’s vet Jillian Cueff as its chief merchandising officer.
• Nordstrom’s VP and Fashion Director Rickie De Sole is stepping down from her role next month.
• Caroline Brown is exiting as global brand president of The North Face, and Chris Goble, who has been leading parent company VF Corp’s emerging brands portfolio, will assume the role.
• Land’s End named Sarah Sylvester, marketing exec at Victoria’s Secret, as its first CMO in almost a decade. Williams-Sonoma and Michael Kors also added new CMOs.

Good footing: One CEO move we won’t be reporting on anytime soon is at Adidas, which extended its CEO Bjon Gulden’s contract to the end of 2030.