Saks Off 5th Brings On a New Chief Operating Officer
Saks Off 5th is signaling more plans for its e-commerce business.
The company is naming former Amazon operations executive Shivi Shankaran as the new chief operating officer of its e-commerce business. He is set to take on the role Aug. 16.
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Shankaran, who the company said had already been serving in an “advisory capacity to Saks Off 5th for some time now,” will also be a member of the company’s executive committee in the new role. News of the appointment comes after Saks Off 5th’s parent, Hudson’s Bay Co., joined Insight Partners last month to help split off the Saks Off 5th e-commerce business.
As chief operating officer, Shankaran will oversee the company’s e-commerce operations, as well as other areas including “product management, digital experience, engineering and analytics, fulfillment and transportation, and enterprise systems,” the company said Tuesday.
“As a stand-alone entity, we have a clear line of sight to supercharge the growth of saksoff5th.com,” Paige Thomas, president and chief executive officer of the retailer, said in a statement.
“We are investing in key areas, such as customer experience, infrastructure and digital capabilities, as well as identifying top talent to join our team,” Thomas added. “Shivi has a proven track record of delivering a best-in-class experience through each step of the complete customer journey. I’m confident he is the right leader to guide our digital product, technology and operations teams as we enhance our offerings and introduce new services.”
Shankaran’s tenure at Amazon for more than a decade included roles as director of global device, digital and Alexa Support, and as director of global reverse logistics, addressing the e-commerce retailer’s global operations, the company said. The move also marks Saks Off 5th’s efforts to expand its digital product, technology and operations teams, bringing on “several new senior leaders,” according to the company.
“At Saks Off 5th we have the opportunity to think through the entirety of the customer journey and make strategic investments to enhance their experience,” Shankaran said. “I believe this brand has a tremendous value proposition, and I’m excited to join the team as we work together to drive growth and unlock value.”
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