AEO Taps Sarah Clarke and Valerie van Ogtrop
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American Eagle Outfitters Inc. is staffing up, bringing in veterans of PVH Corp. and J. Crew Group as it prepares for the pending departure of chief operations officer Michael Rempell next year.
The company named Sarah Clarke executive vice president – chief supply chain officer, giving her responsibility for everything from sourcing through distribution.
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Clarke was most recently supply chain chief at PVH and will report to AEO’s executive chairman and chief executive officer, Jay Schottenstein.
And Valerie van Ogtrop will also join the company as executive vice president – brand operations.
The newly created role is “designed to drive greater brand collaboration while fueling growth and profitability across American Eagle and Aerie,” the company said.
Van Ogtrop spent 19 years at J. Crew, most recently as executive vice president – brand operations leading Madewell’s expansion. At AEO she will oversee store operations in the U.S. and Canada, brand finance and strategy as well as merchandising planning. She will report to Jennifer Foyle, president, executive creative director – AE and Aerie, as well as Mike Mathias, executive vice president – chief financial officer.
Both executives start on Oct. 30.
“Sarah and Valerie bring deep industry knowledge and proven capabilities that complement our organization and innovative culture,” said Schottenstein. “As we chart out AEO’s next chapter and hone our focus on profitable growth, I am confident we have the right talent and performance-driven mindset across our teams to drive long-term success.”
In the second quarter, AEO’s sales inched up to $1.2 billion, with a 4 percent gain in stores and a 7 percent drop online. Net income tallied $48.6 million, reversing losses of $42.5 million a year earlier.
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