Dive Brief:
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As part of its ongoing effort to expand its custom services and store footprint, The Container Store last month announced leadership changes, both promotions of company executives who now report directly to CEO Satish Malhotra.
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Lindy Rawlinson, who joined the retailer in 2021 with more than 20 years of experience in digital retail, has been promoted to chief digital officer, per a company press release. She was previously executive vice president of e-commerce and digital marketing.
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Jennifer Pape, who has held several leadership posts at the company since her arrival in 2015, has been promoted to senior vice president of stores, from her previous position as vice president of stores.
Dive Insight:
The Container Store is laboring to arrest sales declines, as cautious consumers focus their spending on goods and services at other types of businesses. In its most recent quarter, the retailer’s net sales plunged 19.4% year over year, with its retail sales down nearly 20%.
Last May, as it concluded its fiscal year, the company announced a $2 billion annual sales goal by 2027, then announced initiatives to stoke revenue. Through 2023 the retailer has continued testing a smaller store format and expanding its Custom Spaces products and services (formerly known as Custom Closets), but has struggled to gain traction. The Container Store landed on a Retail Dive bankruptcy watch list last year.
The executives promotions announced in recent days are another way to get closer to reaching its revenue ambitions, Malhotra said in a statement.
“By bringing eCommerce and marketing together under Lindy, we will be able to tell a more cohesive brand story, specifically our differentiated offering of Custom Spaces and general merchandise,” he also said. “Jen has done a fantastic job leading our store fleet and I am proud of the work she has already done to improve our Custom Spaces conversion rates.”
