Dive Brief:
- Ralph Lauren welcomed Christopher Conrad to its leadership team this week as the company’s chief digital and technology officer. Conrad succeeds Janet Sherlock, who will retire in September.
- Conrad previously served as SVP and CIO at Levi Strauss & Co. for seven years. A retail industry veteran, Conrad has also held technology leadership positions at Billabong, Lululemon and American Eagle.
- “Chris brings a wealth of experience that will undoubtedly ensure the continuity of our digital journey forward, with a focus on enhancing consumer experiences,” Sherlock, who joined the company in 2017, said in a LinkedIn post.
Dive Insight:
The midyear wave of tech executive appointments rolls forward. Retailers, including Gap and Macy’s, are shaking up their tech leadership to usher in modernization.
The industry is largely pursuing better customer and employee experiences, optimized operations and more visibility with tech upgrades. Retailers and consumer packaged goods companies are investing in data and AI more than any other industry, according to a January Databricks report.
Sherlock highlighted Ralph Lauren’s recent AI efforts as a point of pride in her retirement message. The company leveraged AI and ML capabilities for inventory optimization, forecasting and consumer engagement. Ralph Lauren executives said teams also started incorporating the technology in copy editing, graphics and computer programming last year.
“We are focused on what we can control,” former CFO and current COO Jane Nielsen said during the company’s Q3 2024 earnings call in February. Harnessing big data and AI is part of that, Nielsen said.
In its May earnings report, Ralph Lauren’s revenue inched up slightly, though the company predicted profit declines on the horizon. Ralph Lauren is also adjusting to accommodate Nielsen’s departure as CFO in May and eventually as COO at the end of fiscal year 2025. Analysts refer to her stint as a tough act to follow, Fashion Dive previously reported.
