Mary Dillon appointed as US’ Foot Locker’s CEO

New York-based specialty athletic retailer Foot Locker, Inc. has announced that, as part of a planned succession process, Richard A. Johnson will retire as president and chief Executive officer (CEO), effective September 1, 2022. Mary N. Dillon, former executive chair and CEO of Ulta Beauty, Inc., has been appointed president and CEO and a member of the Foot Locker Board, also effective September 1, 2022.

Johnson will continue as executive chairman of the board through January 31, 2023, and will step down from the board at that time, subsequently remaining with the company as a senior advisor to the CEO until early April 2023 to facilitate a smooth transition, according to a press release by Foot Locker, Inc. The company’s board has determined that the chair and CEO roles will be separated, also effective September 1, 2022, and the company’s lead independent director, Dona D. Young, will become non-executive chair, effective February 1, 2023.

New York-based specialty athletic retailer Foot Locker, Inc. has announced that Richard A. Johnson will retire as president and CEO, effective September 1, 2022. Mary N. Dillon, former executive chair and CEO of Ulta Beauty, Inc., has been appointed president and CEO and a member of the Foot Locker Board, also effective September 1, 2022.

Johnson has had a distinguished three-decade long career at Foot Locker, including having served as the company’s CEO since 2014 following two years as chief operating officer and holding multiple other divisional leadership roles. During Johnson’s tenure, he has led the development of the company’s strategic imperatives and long-term plan, overseen sales growth to approximately $9 billion in 2021 from approximately $7 billion in 2014, been responsible for a number of investments and acquisitions, including WSS and atmos in 2021, led Foot Locker’s digital transformation and strategy to expand into new geographies as well as diversify product mix across brands and categories, along with strengthening the company’s focus on DE&I (diversity, equity, and inclusion) and ESG (environmental, social, and governance) initiatives.

“I am thrilled to be joining Foot Locker, an iconic company that possesses a strong set of values and focus on the customer experience as well as tremendous growth opportunities. It is clear how Foot Locker sits at the heart of the global sport and sneaker community, and I am excited to become part of the company’s team. I look forward to working closely with Dick to ensure a smooth transition, and to partnering with the board, leadership team, and nearly 50,000 team members around the world to build on Foot Locker’s strong foundation and help shape the company’s future,” said Mary N. Dillon, president and CEO of Foot Locker.

Dillon has over 35 years of experience leading consumer-driven businesses in a diverse range of industries, from consumer-packaged goods to restaurants to telecom to beauty and retail. She brings deep consumer marketing and digital transformation expertise, strong operational experience, a proven track record of shareholder value creation and a demonstrated commitment to leadership development. Most recently, she served as Executive Chair of Ulta Beauty, after having served as CEO for eight years, and was responsible for guiding the company as it became the leading beauty destination in the U.S. and a successful omni-channel retailer with a best-in-class loyalty program. This led to revenue CAGR of 16% and the tripling of the company’s market capitalisation over her tenure, added the release.

Foot Locker, Inc. aims to lead the celebration of sneaker and youth culture around the globe through a portfolio of brands including Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Champs Sports, Eastbay, atmos, WSS, and Sidestep. It has approximately 2,800 retail stores in 28 countries across North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand as well as websites and mobile apps.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB)