Chico's hires chief digital officer

Dive Brief:

In a bid to focus on digital growth, Chico's FAS has named Jay Topper as its chief digital officer, the company announced on Monday.
Topper will manage the company's technology, security, infrastructure, supply chain and logistics. He will report to Molly Langenstein, president and CEO of Chico's FAS, the company said.
Topper previously held several positions where he led distribution, fulfillment, social media and customer service. Most recently, he was the chief digital officer at FTD, and prior to that he was the chief technology officer at Vitacost and senior vice president of Customer Success at Rosetta Stone.

Dive Insight:

Topper's appointment is the most recent C-suite change the fashion company has undergone recently. Molly Langenstein, who was president of Chico's and White House Black Market, stepped into her new role as president and CEO of Chico's FAS in April of last year.

As part of its restructuring efforts, the company also fired Intimates Group President Mary van Praag and Chief Operating Officer Ann Joyce and dissolved their roles.

In addition to eliminating corporate positions, the company has also been shedding some brick-and-mortar stores and concentrating on e-commerce. Last August, Chico's FAS Canada filed for bankruptcy and permanently closed four Chico's and six White House Black Market locations in Ontario. Soon afterward, the company announced plans for a "digital transformation," partnered with installment payment platform Afterpay and disclosed that its $300 million senior secured credit facility had closed.

Though the company has continued to struggle during the COVID-19 pandemic, its latest earnings report shows some hope in e-commerce. The company reported fourth quarter net sales decreased 26.7%, while its digital sales increased nearly 20%. Soma's fourth quarter sales were the highest in the brand's history, with comparable sales up more than 15%, driven by a digital sales increase of more than 68%. Topper noted in his hiring announcement that he was looking forward to joining the company during this pivotal period and guiding the company toward better shopper experiences.

"Jay is an experienced leader with a proven track record of increasing consumer engagement and revenue. He will be instrumental in creating a seamless end-to-end customer experience and identifying customer friction points and unlocking sales and growth in our company," Langenstein said in a statement. "As we continue to position ourselves as a digital-first and customer led company, I am proud to welcome Jay to Chico's FAS."