LONDON: Farfetch Limited (NYSE: FTCH), the leading global technology platform for the luxury fashion industry, today announced the appointment of its first Chief Data Officer and first Chief Brand Officer as it adds to its wider management team:
- Kshitij (KK) Kumar appointed Chief Data Officer;
- Holli Rogers becomes Farfetch’s first Chief Brand Officer, while remaining Chief Executive Officer of Browns;
- Kelly Kowal named Executive VP, Farfetch Platform Solutions; and
- Sandrine Deveaux to become Executive VP, Store of the Future.
At the same time, John Veichmanis has stepped down from his role as Chief Marketing Officer.
José Neves, Farfetch Founder, CEO and Co-Chairman, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to bring in new talent, as well as promote from within our executive team. These changes continue to boost our capabilities and sharpen our strategic execution with dedicated focus on key initiatives. They reflect the importance of our strategic priority to build our brand – blending both the ‘art’ of building a fashion brand and the ‘science’ involved in building world-class data-driven demand generation capabilities. The changes also speak to the rapid growth of Farfetch Platform Solutions in recent months, following the acquisition of CuriosityChina, our innovation partnership with CHANEL and our agreement with Harrods to create an e-commerce offering for the department store.
“At the same time, we bid a fond farewell to John Veichmanis. John has built a hugely successful marketing operation over the last four years and bequeaths Farfetch a fantastic team. On behalf of myself and the board, we would like to thank him for his contribution to the company and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”
Kshitij (KK) Kumar joins Farfetch as Chief Data Officer and will drive forward the company’s efforts in AI and data science, helping to build on the significant competitive advantage represented by Farfetch’s incomparable data. KK was previously at Zalando, Europe's leading online fashion and lifestyle platform. Most recently the company’s VP of Data Solutions, KK was responsible for all central activities, artificial intelligence and data governance. KK has also held senior positions at several leading global technology companies, including Ericsson, and Concurrent.
Holli Rogers becomes Chief Brand Officer of Farfetch. Holli remains the Chief Executive Officer of Browns and a member of the Farfetch Executive Board. She will be responsible for all initiatives related to Farfetch’s brand development, a key tenet of the company’s current strategy. Holli will work alongside Andrew Robb, Chief Operating Officer, who will be overseeing the company’s demand generation and digital marketing teams. Holli brings a wealth of experience in working with some of the most iconic brands in global luxury, including Chanel and Neiman Marcus amongst others.
Kelly Kowal, currently Managing Director of Farfetch Black & White, will become Executive VP, Farfetch Platform Solutions, following her efforts in working with brands to create their digital strategies, including recently, Harrods. Sandrine Deveaux will assume the role of Executive VP, Store of the Future, having previously served as Managing Director, Farfetch Store of the Future. She has has been working with CHANEL on a multi-year innovation partnership, and more broadly on Farfetch’s vision for the evolution of the retail experience of the future.