Retail appointments of the week

Bottega Veneta’s creative director departs Daniel Lee has left Bottega Veneta after three years as its creative director. He announced his departure in a joint statement with the luxury Italian fashion brand on Wednesday. “I am grateful to have worked with an exceptional and talented team and I am forever thankful to everyone who was part of creating our vision. Thank you to Francois-Henri Pinault for his support, and for the opportunity to be part of Bottega Veneta’s story,” he sa

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Veneta’s story,” he said.

Pinault, chairman and CEO of Kering, the global luxury group that owns Bottega Veneta, alongside the likes of Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen, thanked Lee for the “passion and energy” he brought to the brand.

“His singular vision made the House’s heritage relevant for today and put it back to the [centre] of the fashion scene. I would like to personally thank him for the unique chapter that he has written in the long history of Bottega Veneta,” Pinault said.

Leo Rongone, CEO of Bottega Veneta also credited the brand’s current momentum in large part to Lee’s creative contributions.

“He provided Bottega Veneta with a fresh perspective and a new sense of modernity, while remaining respectful of the brand’s fifty-year heritage. The remarkable growth of the brand over the last three years bears testimony to the success of his creative work,” Rongone said.

Bottega Veneta said it will announce a new creative director soon.

Marketplacer names first vice president of community

Marketplacer, a global technology platform that enables businesses to launch their own online marketplaces, has hired Brittany Rinker to be its first vice president of community, a newly created role based in Sydney.

Rinker brings more than 10 years’ experience at Amazon in both Australia and the US, including helping to launch and grow Amazon Marketplace in Australia.

In her most recent role as head of marketing for Amazon Marketplace in Australia, she improved the seller experience, created high-quality education to drive seller success and developed strategic partnerships in the e-commerce industry.

Rinker said she was looking forward to leveraging her experience in launching and growing seller communities, while democratising the process and curating the experience for customers at Marketplacer.

“The company has experienced rapid growth in recent years and it’s critical that we find new ways to innovate and support our growing customer base,” she said.

“Ultimately, my aim will be to create a conduit between online marketplaces and their suppliers to enable growth. We also have a great opportunity to tap into the wealth of marketplace knowledge and expertise within the Marketplacer team through more sharing of content and education with our community.”

Myer, Woolworths, SurfStitch and Providoor are just some of the major retailers operating online marketplaces on the Marketplacer platform.

Clarks CEO steps down amidst warehouse strike

Victor Herrero has stepped down as CEO of Clarks just nine months after taking the top job at the nearly 200-year-old British footwear brand, according to media reports in the UK.

Herrero was tasked with turning around the business, which had been hit hard by Covid-19. It was pulled back from the brink of collapse last year by Hong Kong-based private equity firm LionRock Capital, which acquired a majority stake for £100 million.

Clarks said Herrero’s appointment was only temporary and that it is now looking for a permanent chief executive, the BBC reported. Clarks chairman Johnny Chen is leading the business in the interim.

Herrrero will remain on the board and take on broader responsibilities at LionRock Capital.

The leadership shakeup comes amidst a strike at the company’s warehouse in Street, Somerset, over the terms of the new employment contracts that Clarks has asked workers to sign. Started on October 4, the strike is ongoing.