Dive Brief:

• Bed Bath & Beyond on Monday said that Chief Digital Officer Rafeh Masood will also take on duties as interim chief brand officer, "to lead the combined brand, marketing and digital teams effective immediately."

• Cindy Davis, who arrived from L Brands in May 2020, stepped down Monday as chief brand officer and president of the retailer's Decorist interior design service, according to a company press release.

• Masood joined Bed Bath & Beyond around the same time last year from BJ's Wholesale Club.

Dive Insight:

Bed Bath & Beyond assembled a new team of executives in the midst of a pandemic last year, months after former Target merchandise chief Mark Tritton took over as CEO.

The retailer, which has made great strides despite (and in some ways because of) the pandemic's disruption, now appears to be further consolidating its leadership. While last year stores were temporarily forced shut for weeks in an effort to stem the disease, consumers put a lot of money into their homes, and much of that went to Bed Bath & Beyond.

The company has been introducing several new owned brands, a hallmark at Target and of Tritton's leadership while there. In its second quarter, Bed Bath & Beyond posted positive comps for the first time since 2016.

"Rafeh's demonstrated success and leadership in the realms of digital transformation and customer engagement make him the right person to take on these additional responsibilities," Tritton said in a statement. "As we support a customer base that has moved towards digital, we look forward to Rafeh's leadership, contribution, and a smooth transition."

That move toward digital contributed to the retailer's decision last year to close around 200 stores, though it's also investing some $250 million to remodel 450 stores.