Kingsley Gate Assists J. Crew Group with CHRO Search
November 7, 2025 – Private equity-backed Kingsley Gate has assisted in the recruitment of Gena Smith as the new chief human resources officer of J. Crew Group. “I was honored to work with J. Crew Group, CEO Libby Wadle and team to place Gena Smith as the company’s new chief human resources officer,” Mike Bergen, senior partner, global markets at Kingsley Gate, said in a LinkedIn post. “It is an exciting and pivotal time for J. Crew Group. Thank you to my Kingsley Gate team (Kimberly Nathanson, Ryan Gohmann and Stefanie Kish) for the outstanding work on this project.”
“The strength of our people and the value they bring to our customers and stakeholders are fundamental to our success,” said Libby Wadle, CEO of J.Crew Group. “I am delighted to welcome Gena to our team. She is a dynamic leader with deep expertise in aligning people strategies with business goals in creative-led organizations. Her proven ability to build high-performing teams and foster inclusive, creative cultures will be a powerful asset as we continue to grow J.Crew Group.”
Ms. Smith brings more than two decades of experience in human capital strategy, executive recruitment, and organizational development across the fashion and retail industries. She joins J.Crew from LVMH North America, where she served as CHRO and previously held several senior leadership roles, including senior vice president of human resources and head of global executive and creative recruitment.
In addition to her executive leadership experience, Ms. Smith is an active contributor to the broader fashion and design community. She currently serves on the board of governors for the Fashion Scholarship Fund and Parsons School of Design and is also a member of the board of directors for Gabriela Hearst.
In her new role, Ms. Smith will oversee all aspects of J.Crew Group’s human resources function, including talent acquisition, employee engagement, inclusion and belonging, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness. She is based in New York and will report to Ms. Wadle.
“I’ve long admired J.Crew Group’s distinct voice and enduring influence in American style,” said Ms. Smith. “I’m excited to join at such a pivotal time for the company and to partner with the leadership team to continue building a purpose-driven culture that attracts, empowers, and retains top talent.”
Related: Aligning CEO and CHRO Priorities
New York City-based J.Crew Group is an internationally recognized omnichannel retailer of women’s, men’s, and children’s apparel, shoes and accessories. Founded in 1983, the company operates 152 J.Crew retail stores, 143 Madewell stores, 147 J.Crew Factory stores in nearly every state in the U.S. and maintains J.Crew, Madewell and J.Crew Factory websites.
Finding Senior Leaders
Founded in 2015, Kingsley Gate recruits senior leadership for private equity and venture capital portfolio businesses and Fortune 100 companies. Headquartered in New York, the firm employs consultants and recruiters with expertise in private equity, life sciences, financial services, technology, manufacturing, and professional services. Kingsley Gate has completed searches with over 1,700 clients in 33 countries. The firm is backed by the private equity firm Crescent Cove Partners LP.
Kingsley Gate Partners Places Chief People Officer for J.Crew Group
Kingsley Gate Partners has placed Jose Davila, former vice president of human resources for Levi Strauss & Co., as chief people officer at J.Crew Group. Mike Bergen, senior partner and global HR practice leader led the search. “Jose is a builder that knows how to creatively transform and grow businesses and HR teams and is particularly strong at creating a framework for managing talent and providing meaningful advice and counsel to leaders at all levels,” said Mr. Bergen. “His experiences, skills, and leadership attributes make him uniquely qualified to help lead the J.Crew and Madewell brands into the future.”
Mr. Bergen leads the strategy for growing the firm’s business outside of the U.S., driving cross-border collaboration while building and extending client relationships globally. Prior to this role, he led the North America region for the firm for three years. Additionally, Mr. Bergen leads the firm’s global human resources practice and brings over 25 years of experience in executive search and an additional decade as a corporate human resources professional prior to his executive search career. He has placed executives and professionals across all industries, geographies, and functional areas.
Ms. Nathanson is a principal with Kingsley Gate in the firm’s global life sciences and healthcare practices. She works globally with a diverse clientele ranging from global pharmaceutical organizations to emerging biotechnology companies, medical device and healthcare organizations. Ms. Nathanson has experience recruiting senior leaders in healthcare across clinical development, medical affairs, commercial and regulatory functions. She specializes in conducting assignments for a variety of positions, including CMOs, CEOs, franchise heads and executive/senior medical directors. Within the healthcare services sector, she works extensively with significant private equity-backed national organizations to smaller/mid-sized rural community healthcare systems.
Related: CHRO Perspectives: Looking Ahead to 2026
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
