J.Crew appoints Billy May as chief customer officer

By

Gabriella Lacombe

Published
Jun 18, 2019

J.Crew Group, Inc. has named Billy May as chief customer officer for its J.Crew brand, effective July 15, 2019.

In his new role, May will lead customer-facing aspects of the business and be responsible for advancing J.Crew's digital transformation across marketing, loyalty, stores, and e-commerce. He will report to Michael J. Nicholson, interim chief executive officer.

He most recently served as chief executive officer of Seattle-based retailer Sur La Table. Previously, he was senior vice president and a member of the executive leadership team at Abercrombie & Fitch, where he led marketing, direct-to-consumer, and corporate development globally.

While at A&F, he also worked to establish the company's digital presence; scale its e-commerce business; develop an omni-channel operating model; and launch two branded loyalty programs. Earlier in his career, May served in digital and business leadership roles at Adidas Group and Lowe's Companies.

"[May’s] significant industry experience across a range of well-known consumer brands, and his track record of innovative leadership in omni-channel marketing will elevate customer engagement across our digital, mobile, and store channels," said Nicholson.

"He brings a collaborative, integrated approach to brand development, and we are looking forward to partnering with him to return J.Crew to profitability and long-term growth."

The appointment follows J.Crew Group’s recent announcement that it slashed its first-quarter net loss by half, as its Madewell brand continued to make strong progress.

However, the group's J.Crew brand continued to struggle during the quarter, posting a 4% decline in net sales – which totaled $376.1 million – and a 1% decrease in comparable sales.