Julie Walsh Named Macy’s SVP Beauty, Center Core
Macy’s has promoted Julie Walsh to senior vice president, general business manager of beauty and center core, which includes jewelry, handbags, shoes and accessories.
Walsh, who was Macy’s vice president and divisional business manager for fragrances, will report to Nata Dvir, the retailer’s chief merchandising officer.
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“As a member of our merchant organization for over two decades we have watched her grow in her career and excel in advancing our strategy,” Dvir said in a statement. “Julie brings a wealth of experience to this role with her already established vendor relationships among many of the center core and beauty categories. I am confident that her leadership, collaborative approach and ability to create meaningful experiences in-store and online through best-in-class product offerings will continue to help drive this business forward.”
Walsh has held various leadership positions within Macy’s merchant organization, including experience in fine jewelry, prestige cosmetics and most recently fragrances. In its statement, Macy’s said Walsh has led “high-visibility brand launches and experiential store activations.” Walsh began her career as an executive trainee at Macy’s.
Walsh succeeds Michelle Israel, who left the organization last month. Throughout her tenure at Macy’s, Israel held a variety of merchant roles.
Last June, Dvir told WWD that nearly 60 percent of Macy’s senior directors and above were women.
The company has been innovative in the fast-moving beauty arena. In one big change, hair care was added over the past few years into its brand matrix. “We have amazing assortments in fragrance, skin care and makeup,” Dvir said in her June interview. “It’s important for us to make sure that we have categories that were new to us and trending in the market. That’s hair care, and we’ve seen a huge growth in home fragrance, too.”
Recently, Clinique debuted a new concept at Macy’s Herald Square in Manhattan. “Right now, in retail, there’s a tension between in-person and digital experiences, as well as self-shopping from shelves. This embraces all three,” Sameer Agarwal, vice president of marketing at Clinique North America, told WWD. “If you want our staff, that’s there. If you want people with a digital interaction, that’s there. If people want to self-shop from our shelves, that’s there. This design brings it all together.”
