Fort Myers, Fl., USA - May 26, 2016, Fort Myers, Fl., USA - Chico's FAS, Inc., a specialty retailer, announced that Bonnie Brooks and Bill Simon have been nominated to stand for election to the company's board of directors at the 2016 annual meeting of shareholders.
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Since February 2014, Ms. Brooks has served as Vice Chairman of Hudson's Bay Company. Ms. Brooks joined Hudson's Bay in 2008 as Chief Executive Officer and President.
From 2012 to 2014, she served as President of Hudson's Bay Company, responsible for both Hudson's Bay and Lord and Taylor department stores USA, and was part of the team that led the Company through its initial public offering.
From 2002 to 2008, Ms. Brooks served as President of Lane Crawford Joyce Group, with over 500 specialty designer stores in Asia where she led the turnaround of the Lane Crawford department stores.
Prior to that, she worked as Global Merchandise Manager with Dickson Poon overseeing Harvey Nichols from 1999 to 2001. She also spent over a decade at Holt Renfrew in Canada in roles that included the Executive Vice President and General Merchandise Manager.
Ms. Brooks currently serves as a Director of Abercrombie & Fitch, Rogers Communications Inc. and AQX, and is a trustee of Riocan Real Estate Investment Trust. She has a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Western Ontario.
From 2010 to 2014, Mr. Simon served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Walmart U.S. He joined the Company in 2006 and was appointed Chief Operating Officer in 2007 for Walmart U.S., which position he held until he was appointed President and CEO.
Prior to joining Walmart, Mr. Simon held senior level executive positions at other leading, large, complex, retailing and global brand management companies, such as Brinker International, Diageo, Cadbury-Schweppes, PepsiCo and RJR-Nabisco.
He is a member of the Board of Directors of Darden Restaurants, Inc. and Agrium, Inc., and currently serves as a senior advisor to the global investment firm KKR.
In addition to Ms. Brooks and Mr. Simon, the Company's slate for the 2016 Annual Meeting will include Shelley Broader, President and Chief Executive Officer of Chico's FAS, and Janice Fields, current independent director of Chico's FAS and former President of McDonald's USA, LLC.
Ms. Broader, President and Chief Executive Officer of Chico's FAS, is a proven executive with over 25 years of experience leading premier global and regional retail businesses, including Walmart, Michael's Stores, and several banners with Delhaize Group.
Prior to joining Chico's FAS in December 2015, she served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Walmart's EMEA region.
Previously she served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Walmart Canada, Chief Merchandising Officer for Walmart Canada, and Senior Vice President for Sam's Club, Walmart's membership-warehouse format in the U.S.
Prior to joining Walmart in 2010, Ms. Broader was President and Chief Operating Officer of Michael's, the world's largest retailer of arts and crafts, and was responsible for the chain's 1,000 stores in the United States and Canada.
Before joining Michael's, Ms. Broader enjoyed a 17-year career with Delhaize Group where, under the Hannaford banner, she held a range of leadership roles across the Company's operations, merchandising, distribution, strategy and marketing divisions.
She was promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer of Delhaize Group's Kash n' Karry chain, where she is credited with a significant financial and operational turnaround that included a complete re-branding of the business into Sweetbay Supermarkets. She then served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Sweetbay until joining Michael's.
Ms. Broader began her career in the investment banking sector, holding roles at Massachusetts Financial Services Company and First Albany Corporation. She is a member of the board of directors of Raymond James Financial, Inc.
Ms. Fields has been a director of Chico's FAS since May 2013 and currently serves as Chair of the Board's Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee and is member of the Compensation & Benefits Committee.
In addition to her contributions as a director, Ms. Fields brings significant consumer brand and retail experience to the Company having previously served as President of McDonald's USA, LLC, a subsidiary of McDonald's Corporation, from January 2010 through November 2012.
Previously, Ms. Fields held numerous other roles at McDonald's, having started her career as a crew member. ■