Kohl’s has appointed former Walmart executive Ryan M. Waymire as the chief merchandising officer, effective on 28 September onwards.
He brings decades of experience to the role, having worked across supermarket retailers, including Amazon, Target, and Walmart.
In his most recent position, he worked as the SVP of fashion at Walmart US, where he oversaw the company’s merchandise strategies.
Before he joined Walmart, he worked as the GM and brand president for BirchLane at Wayfair, SVP of merchandising and brand partnerships at FabFitFun, and managed apparel at Amazon.
Waymire said: “I’m excited to join Kohl’s at a transformational moment for the company and for retail. Throughout my career, I’ve focused on helping retailers and brands deliver what customers want and need while also inspiring them with stylish, high-quality products that bring joy to their lives.
“I look forward to helping shape Kohl’s merchandising strategy and delivering differentiated products and experiences that surprise and delight customers across the country.”
As part of his new position, Waymire will be in charge of Kohl’s overall merchandise strategy and all merchandising operations, such as buying, product design and development, and product strategy. He succeeds Nick Jones, who has served as the retailer’s chief merchandising officer since 2023.
Michael Bender, CEO of Kohl’s said: “As we intentionally build our business for the future, Ryan will take the next step with our merchandising teams in modernizing our overall product offering—with customers at the center of all decisions.
“Ryan has deep experience in understanding how to refresh and drive a merchandise strategy for a broad US customer base, and he has an innovative way of integrating meaningful collaborations and social media influencers into product stories.”
This appointment comes after Kohl’s recently announced the appointment of its first-ever chief customer officer.
The business is strengthening its leadership team as it pushes towards a financial turnover.
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