Ralph Lauren bolsters senior team
Ralph Lauren has made two senior appointments as the company looks to bolster its leadership team in support of its Way Forward Plan.
The company has hired Jonathan Bottomley for the newly created role of chief marketing officer which is responsible for evolving Ralph Lauren’s brand voice, leading the global marketing team and developing marketing strategies across the company’s brands.
In a second appointment, Tom Mendenhall has been named brand president for Men’s Polo, Purple Label and Double RL. Also a newly created role, the position will involve all men’s brand functions reporting to Mendenhall who will be charged with maximising brand strength to improve sales growth.
Ralph Lauren said: “As we write our next chapter, we continue to add exceptionally strong leaders with the passion, energy, and talent to lead our company into the future. Both Jonathan and Tom bring a fresh perspective and incredible depth of brand experience to Ralph Lauren. They each have impressive track records and we are looking forward to welcoming them into our leadership as our evolution continues.”
Bottomley will join the business on 3 April having previously served as chief strategy officer at Vice Media. Prior to that, he was chief strategy officer and managing partner in the London headquarters of Bartle Bogle Hegarty where he led strategic brand-building efforts for clients across the luxury and consumer lifestyle sectors.
In his new position, Bottomley will be a part of the company’s executive team and will report to Valerie Hermann, president of global brands, and Ralph Lauren, executive chairman and chief creative officer, on an interim basis. He will then report to the company’s new chief executive, once an appointment is made.
Meanwhile, Mendenhall previously worked at Tom Ford International where he served as chief operating officer for more than a decade. Prior to that, he was a senior vice president at Abercrombie & Fitch and also spent eight years as worldwide director of merchandising at Gucci.
Due to join Ralph Lauren on 29 March, his new role will report into Hermann.
Hermann added: “Jonathan and Tom will play critical roles as we move forward in our evolution as a brand and company. Jonathan’s innovative, integrated approach will bring freshness and cohesion to our iconic marketing efforts, while Tom’s proven experience and recognized excellence in men’s will support our continued growth in this category.”
