Retail appointments of the week

King Living’s former CEO Anna Carrabs takes up new role

By Celene Ignacio

Anna Carrabs, who stepped down as CEO of King Living last year, is now a co-founder of Ecovital Group, a startup that sells healthcare products and eco-friendly alternatives.

Carrabs co-founded Ecovital Group with Stuart Munro, a chief investment officer at print production company Presfast.

“This transition marks a pivotal moment in my career, allowing me to channel my passion for innovation and environmental impact into a fresh endeavour,” said Carrabs.

“Ecovital Group is a visionary venture dedicated to driving positive change in sustainability and healthcare. With a range of revolutionary Australian-made products, we are committed to disrupting the use of plastics in retail and beyond, reducing environmental impact, and improving healthcare outcomes.

Sean McGirr named as creative director of Alexander McQueen

By Mimosa Spencer of Reuters

Sean McGirr was named by French luxury goods group Kering as creative director of British label Alexander McQueen on Tuesday.

McGirr, previously head of ready-to-wear collections at JW Anderson, is a graduate of London fashion school Central Saint Martins and has also worked at Dries Van Noten and Uniqlo.

He replaces Sarah Burton, whose departure was announced last month. His appointment comes amid a broader restructuring at Kering as it seeks to rejuvenate sales at its star label Gucci.

Kering, which does not break out the McQueen label’s financial results, has been pushing it further upmarket and named former LVMH executive Gianfilippo Testa CEO in May last year with a mandate to accelerate expansion.

The McQueen label is one of several brands that Kering has flagged for development into beauty products, alongside Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga.

Lamps Plus appoints Jason Goldberger as CEO

By Celene Ignacio

Specialty lighting retailer Lamps Plus has named Jason Goldberger as CEO, succeeding Dennis Swanson, who is also the co-founder of the company.

Prior to the new appointment, Goldberger served as CEO of Sur La Table, Dollar Shave Club, and Blue Nile, and held the chief digital officer and president role at Target.com.

He also worked at Gilt, Hayneedle, Amazon, and Linens ‘N Things.

Goldberger onboarded Lamps Plus following Nexus Capital Management’s investment in the company.

“Jason is a powerful and experienced leader who has demonstrated years of notable success in the home industry and beyond,” said Swanson.

“His vast knowledge of the lighting and furniture business is unparalleled, and his many years in the industry will carry Lamps Plus into the future as we remain the market leader in lighting. We are pleased to have him join our team.”

Goldberger will work directly with president and COO Clark Linstone, chief marketing officer David Luebke, SVP of store operations Terre Wellington, other leaders of Lamps Plus, and team members from Nexus Capital Management.

Meanwhile, Swanson will remain in the company as a board member and advisor.

American Outdoor Brands names Brent Vulgamott as COO 

By Irene Dong

American Outdoor Brands has named Brent Vulgamott as its new COO, who will be leading all facets of the company’s sales, operations, and analytics functions.

“Brent joined our company in 2015 as a Divisional Controller long before the spin-off from our former parent company in 2020,” said president and CEO, Brian Murphy. 

“Since then, he has taken on increasing responsibilities and combined his financial expertise with his growing knowledge of our organisation’s products and processes to effectively expand the scope of his role over time.” 

Prior to joining American Outdoor Brands, Vulgamott held a number of senior positions with Smith & Wesson Brands’ outdoor products and accessories division.

He formerly worked for Lockton Companies, a privately held insurance broker, as director of finance. He also held finance leadership and management positions at Ford Motor Company and Piston Automotive, a publicly traded and privately held automotive sub-supplier. 

Vulgamott used to work in accounting and finance at State Street Bank & Trust Co and Cerner Corporation. He graduated from the University of Missouri with a BS in finance and banking and Rockhurst University with an MBA in accounting and business management.

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