Companies

Designer Brands appoints Laura Denk as President of DSW

Jul 12, 2023 United States

The North American company announced the appointment of Laura Denk as President of Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW) and Executive Vice President of Designer Brands, effective as of the 24th of July

As President of DSW, Denk will be responsible for leading DSW's nearly 500 stores in the US, as well as the e-commerce channel, in addition to helping further elevate Designer Brand's owned brands and the national brands featured in the retailer portfolio. She will report directly to Designer Brand's Chief Executive Officer, Doug Howe.

He said to be confident in her ability to lead the organization forward and ensured that DSW's “30 million loyalty customers can expect an exciting future ahead (…), with Laura's expertise driving us to the next phase of growth, while maintaining our position as a leader in the footwear space”.

Designer Brands highlighted that she brings an extensive background in merchandising, along with relevant experience in raising the quality of customer experiences and elevating private brands. Most recently, Denk served as Chief Merchandising Officer and Executive Vice President at Michaels Store, after being the company's General Merchandise Manager. Her curriculum also includes leadership roles at Claire's stores and Macy's.

“I am thrilled to be joining DSW at such an exciting time in DSW's journey to becoming a brand builder, while leveraging its strong footprint of stores and omnichannel platform”, commented Laura Denk. “The opportunity to partner with the DSW team to transform and reimagine the customer experience, especially by shining a light on Designer Brands' unique Owned Brands within DSW will help us build value for our customers and our shareholders”, she added.

Image Credits: investors.designerbrands.com

United States Brands Companies Designer Brands Footwear Management Retail