- Abercrombie & Fitch Co. announces the appointment of Will A. Smith as Chief Marketing Officer
New Albany, Ohio, 2017-Jan-31 — /EPR Retail News/ — Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) today (January 30, 2017) announced that Will A. Smith has joined the Company as Chief Marketing Officer. In that role, he will be responsible for all brand, creative and digital marketing across the Company, reporting to President and Chief Merchandising Officer Fran Horowitz.
For the past nine years Mr. Smith has served in senior marketing roles at Caleres Inc., formerly known Brown Shoe Company. He was elevated to the position of Chief Marketing Officer for Famous Footwear/Brown Group Retail in 2013.
“We are delighted to welcome Will to our team,” said Fran Horowitz, President and Chief Merchandising Officer of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. “He is a true marketing talent who has led successful, transformative brand campaigns spanning go-to-market advertising, digital marketing, mobile and customer loyalty programs. He will be a tremendous asset as we continue to focus on strengthening our connection with our customers and enhancing the power and clarity of our brand identities.”
Mr. Smith joined Famous Footwear/Brown Group Retail in 2008. During his tenure, the company achieved rapid ecommerce traffic gains, evolved and contemporized all customer contact strategies and tactics, revitalized a customer loyalty program that now delivers nearly three-quarters of the organization’s total annual revenue, improved and elevated the in-store experience, and launched a best-in-class mobile app for Famous Footwear that now has over 1.3 million users. Furthermore, he played a critical role in the parent company’s corporate rebranding initiative that resulted in its name change to Caleres – a modernized identity and improved customer sentiment for the 137 year-old company.
Prior to joining the Famous Footwear/Brown Group Retail, Mr. Smith worked for iconic companies such as Kraft, Atlantic Records, and Liz Claiborne, in various brand and marketing roles. These roles included, among others, Group Vice President of Marketing for Liz Claiborne Retail and Footstar Athletic, VP and General Manager of Blackground Records/Virgin Records N.A., and Vice President of Marketing for Urban Music at Atlantic Recording Corporation.
He received his Masters of Business Administration from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Cornell University.
Mr. Smith serves on the National Board of Trustees of the March of Dimes Foundation and on the Executive Committee of the Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois Better Business Bureau.
About Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) is a leading, global specialty retailer of apparel and accessories for Men, Women and Kids through three renowned brands. The iconic Abercrombie & Fitch brand embodies American casual luxury. With an updated attitude that reflects the character, charisma and confidence of today’s 20+ consumer, Abercrombie & Fitch remains true to its 125-year heritage of creating expertly crafted products with an effortless, American style. The Hollister brand epitomizes the liberating and carefree spirit of the endless California summer for the teen market. abercrombie kids creates smart, playful apparel for children ages 3-14, celebrating the wide-eyed wonder of childhood. The brands share a commitment to offering products of enduring quality and exceptional comfort that allow consumers around the world to express their own individuality and style.
The Company operates over 900 stores under these brands across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as well as the e-commerce sites www.abercrombie.com and www.hollisterco.com.
Investor Contact:
Brian Logan
Abercrombie & Fitch
(614) 283-6877
Investor_Relations@abercrombie.com
Media Contact:
Michael Scheiner
Abercrombie & Fitch
(614) 283-6192
Public_Relations@abercrombie.com
Source: Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
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