LONDON, United Kingdom — Rebekka Bay, executive vice president and creative director of American clothing retailer
Gap, has left the company. She will not be replaced and the position she previously held will be eliminated. The shake up follows a string of attempts to breathe new life into the ailing retailer, which, last year, resorted to heavy discounting in the face of sluggish sales.
“I would personally like to thank Rebekka for her passion and the creative processes she’s brought to the brand,” said Jeff Kirwan, global brand president of Gap. “She has helped develop a dynamic design team, some of the best creative talent in the industry, and I’m confident that our strong bench of senior designers will see the brand into its next phase.”
As part of the shuffle, the brand has also appointed
Gap Inc. veteran Scott Key to the position of senior vice president and general manager of customer experience at the Gap brand. He will oversee a newly combined e-commerce and marketing organisation as part of an effort to make the brand more customer-focused, according to a statement issued by Gap Inc. Key previously served in senior roles within the growth, innovation and digital division of Gap Inc. and has worked closely with incoming CEO Art Peck, who officially replaces former chief Glenn Murphy next month.
“Now’s the time to intensify our customer focus and break through with a truly dynamic and integrated approach to building relationships with our customers,” said Kirwan. “Scott will help us bring together our marketing and digital expressions so each interaction with our customers is consistent and compelling. It’s a customer-first approach that reflects how people shop today.”
“As we look to the future, now is the right time to make these changes and focus the brand on delivering casual, American style and building strong relationships with our customers around the world,” added Kirwan.
The changes follow the news, announced last week, that Gap Inc will close its Piperlime brand to focus on its core properties, namely Gap and
Banana Republic. Gap Inc. currently includes Gap, Banana Republic and
Old Navy, as well as Piperlime,
Athleta and
Intermix.