Leadership

The concept of operational excellence isn't new. Retailers have been striving to achieve efficiencies in their operating models since their inception. And while improvements can always be made, achieving a level of high performance seems mostly out of reach. But why? Retail is hard. Achieving a fully integrated, cross-functional operating model is even harder. Traditional…

Ten months after taking the helm as CEO and chairman of Starbucks and declaring that a massive reset was on the horizon, Brian Niccol told investors during a third-quarter earnings call Tuesday that his company's turnaround efforts were "ahead of schedule" after several quarters of falling sales. “We've fixed a lot and done the hard…

If retailers had a crystal ball, looking at 2025 would still fog it up even this late into the year. Between economic seesaws, looming tariff whispers, and ever-erratic consumer mood swings, this year’s fourth quarter is shaping up to be less about “sleigh bells ringing” and more about “alarm bells blaring.” And yet — amid…

Retailers today are navigating a complex mix of pressures, from margin compression and shifting supply chain dynamics to evolving consumer expectations to ongoing tariff uncertainty. In this environment, understanding how peers and industry leaders are responding isn’t just useful — it’s essential. Technology and artificial intelligence can help retailers keep up. By processing and distilling…

In episode 484 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Leslie Marino, U.S. president, professional products division at L'Oreal, the world leader in cosmetics with a portfolio of 37 brands and a mission to offer the best of beauty to everyone, everywhere. Listen in as Marino provides an overview of her journey to becoming…

Simply put, Total Retail Tech brings the right people together for the right conversations. By matching like-minded retail executives, Total Retail Tech enables honest and open discussions about technology and other business challenges. Instead of learning about technologies you don’t need or can’t implement, Total Retail Tech matches the right retailers with the right technology providers, saving…

Sharon Leite, who resigned as CEO of The Vitamin Shoppe in 2023, is back in the chief executive role, the newly bought company announced Tuesday. Leite served as CEO of the vitamin and nutritional products specialty retailer from 2018-2023, resigning in January 2023 to head up Ideal Image. She then left to become CEO of…

In retail, speed is no longer optional. Customer expectations shift fast, and technology evolves even faster. Strategic priorities can flip overnight in response to market volatility, operational challenges, or competitive pressure. The question isn’t whether to adapt — it’s whether your teams can do it fast enough. For many retailers, the answer is no. Strategies…

Bath & Body Works has a new chief executive officer, its second in less than three years. The personal care, home and beauty retailer has named Daniel Heaf as its new CEO, effectively immediately, succeeding Gina Boswell. Heaf was most recently Nike’s chief strategy and transformation officer until his role was eliminated by the sneaker…

Nike announced a series of leadership changes and restructuring on Monday, including the retirement of its current president of consumer, product and brand. The company is restructuring its consumer, product and brand leadership into three separate areas: consumer and sport, marketing, and product creation. As a result, Heidi O'Neill, Nike's president of consumer, product and…