Hanold Associates Recruits CHRO for Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
January 22, 2021 – Chicago-based Hanold Associates HR & Diversity Executive Search has recruited Holly May as the new CHRO of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Partner Lisa Butkus led the search along with Jason Hanold, CEO and managing partner, and Keri Gavin, partner and global D&I practice sector leader.
Ms. May has over 16 years of extensive senior-level experience gained in four publicly traded, global companies collaborating closely with boards of directors and senior management. She is highly experienced and knowledgeable in a broad array of human resource functions: HR transformation, talent management, HR technology/operations, global rewards and DEI. She comes to A&F from Starbucks where she served as senior vice president, global total rewards and service delivery. She was a member of the senior leadership team (top 40 leaders) managing team of over 100 employees servicing about 340,000 employees globally. Before that, she was VP of global compensation, mobility and payroll at Visa. In that role, Ms. May was responsible for direct coordination with Visa’s board of directors and the board’s compensation and benefits committee, developed executive incentive compensation plan alternatives for board consideration and consulted on pay decisions for all executive officers. She also gained experience in various positions with Voya Financial and ING.
New Position
Reporting directly to CEO Fran Horowitz at A&F, Ms. May will be a key member of the executive leadership team and responsible for all aspects of human resources throughout the company. Leading an HR team of more than 160, she will develop, implement and improve upon human capital programs to support the company’s continued transformation into a global, digitally enabled retail powerhouse that remains a desirable and inclusive place to work.
Related: Hanold Associates Tapped by TB12 to Recruit New Board Directors
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. was originally founded in 1892 in New York City by David Abercrombie. Eventually partnering with the brand’s No.1 customer, Ezra Fitch, the company’s product offerings focused on high-end outdoor apparel and recreational sporting goods. The company expanded throughout the following decades, opening stores across the U.S. It went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 1996 and today the brand is made up of three entities: Abercrombie & Fitch, Abercrombie Kids and Hollister. The company operates over 850 stores under these brands across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The company revenues were $3.62 billion in 2019 and it is publicly traded on the NYSE as ANF.
Trusted Recruiters
Hanold Associates is a boutique executive search firm focused on HR and diversity and inclusion officers. Its client list is diverse across industries, geographies and business scenarios, and culture is at the core of everything the firm does. Its clients include the National Football League, Zoom, Domino’s Pizza, Under Armour, Patagonia, Gucci, The New York Times, Tom Brady’s TB12, Kohler, REI, Live Nation Entertainment, Dick’s Sporting Goods, McDonald’s, Major League Baseball, Kellogg, Apollo, Big Ten Conference, Blackstone, TPG, L Catterton, Northwestern University, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Electronic Arts, Fiat-Chrysler, SC Johnson, eBay, Moderna, Hillrom, Great Place To Work, Fossil, Vail Resorts, AbbVie, Carnival Corp., Biogen, Allstate, Bridgestone, Wikimedia, ClubCorp, Nike, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and Ford Motor Co., among others.
Hanold Associates Assists The New York Times Co. in CHRO Search
Hanold Associates has assisted The New York Times Co. in the recruitment of Jacqueline M. Welch as executive vice president and chief human resources officer (CHRO). She will report directly to president and CEO Meredith Kopit Levien and sit on the company’s executive committee as well as lead its talent and inclusion department.
“This search, from launch to offer decision, took about six weeks,” said Jason Hanold, CEO and managing director of the search firm. “Jacqui is a unique spirit. She lifts people up, brings them together, is a phenomenal relationship builder, and truly makes all around her better. She is also an experienced and dynamic executive with a track record of success leading human resources work and I’m so pleased she is coming to The Times to assume this critical leadership position,” said Ms. Levien. “Our ability to attract, develop and retain world-class talent, and to create the conditions for our people to do their best work, is paramount to the continued success of our mission and business. Jacqui will be an essential partner to me and the senior leadership team as we continue to transform the company and our culture with operational excellence and diversity, equity and inclusion at the heart of all we do.”
Mr. Hanold founded the firm in 2010. Previously, he served as a managing director with Russell Reynolds Associates, where he led the firm’s global human resources officer practice and was a member of the board of directors and CEO practices. Before that he held talent and recruiting positions with Whirlpool, McKinsey & Company, Deloitte and State Farm.
Ms. Butkus specializes in recruiting executive level HR leaders across industries, and with a core focus on fashion, luxury brands, retail merchandise and the broader consumer industry. Previously, Ms. Butkus spent six years in luxury retail.
Ms. Gavin focuses on all functional areas of HR and diversity and inclusion. Prior to joining Hanold Associates, she was director of host relations and consulting for Ragan Communications. Before Ragan, Ms. Gavin was a television anchor and reporter in Des Moines, IA.
Related: Hanold Associates Recruits Chief People and Culture Officer for Major League Baseball
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
