After conducting an executive search, Pier 1 Imports’ board of directors has appointed former Kmart executive Alasdair James president and CEO effective May 1.
James will become a director of the company after his employment commences, the retailer added.
In his career, James has held positions at PepsiCo GlaxoSmithKline PLC and Tesco PLC, Pier 1 noted, where he held several senior executive roles including commercial director of the global business unit and evp and commercial director of Tesco China. He most recently served with Sears Holdings Corp. as president of Kmart.
“In our search for a new leader to navigate Pier 1 Imports through this challenging and exciting retail environment, our board sought an innovative, customer-centric and proven leader with a visionary perspective,” said Terry London, Pier 1’s board chairman. “Alasdair comes to us with the strong, consumer-focused background, track record of success and strategic capability we were seeking. With more than 15 years of retail and consumer goods experience in the U.S., U.K. and China, Alasdair has the expertise and global operating skills necessary to drive long-term success for our brand. He is a proven leader in the consumer space, broadly-skilled in sales, marketing, brand management and data analytics, with a track record of implementing consumer-facing initiatives to transform businesses in tough environments while driving operational improvement.”
