Neiman Marcus bolsters tech, merchandising and supply chain development with new appointments and investments

By

Robin Driver

Published
Jan 28, 2021

Some four months after emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, department store operator Neiman Marcus Group announced on Wednesday that it is seeking to improve consumer experience and expand its customer base by making focused investments in talent, merchandising, technology and supply chain.

 
In line with this strategy, the retailer revealed that Bob Kupbens will join the company as executive vice president and chief product and technology officer, a new role bringing the group’s technology, digital products and advanced analytics together under one leader. As part of its development agenda, the company will also be redirecting capital into these areas.
 
Kupbens’ responsibilities will include developing new digital products and capabilities with the objective of enhancing the in-store, online and omnichannel experiences at both the Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman brands. He will also help accelerate the development of the Neiman Marcus Group’s advanced analytics capabilities and drive efforts to scale personalization services.

To do so, he will collaborate closely with David Goubert, president and chief customer officer for the Neiman Marcus brand; Bergdorf Goodman president Darcy Penick, and president and chief merchandising officer for Neiman Marcus, Lana Todorovich.
 
Kupbens most recently served as president for innovation and new business at security company ADT, a role he has held since May 2019. His previous experience also includes senior e-commerce, digital and technology roles at Apple, Ebay and Delta.
 
The executive will step into his new role on February 1 and will report to Neiman Marcus CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck.
 
Elsewhere, Paolo Riva will take on the newly created role of general manager for brand partnerships and merchandising at the Neiman Marcus brand, a position in which he will report to Todorovich.
 
Riva, whose most recent role was CEO of the Victoria Beckham brand, has extensive brand and P&L experience, having also served in senior roles at Valentino, Diane von Furstenberg, Ferragamo, and Tory Burch.
 
“We have incredibly strong relationships with our brand partners and are evolving our collaboration from being a distribution channel for them to an increased value creation opportunity,” commented Todorovich in a release.
 
"With Paolo's leadership, we will ensure Neiman Marcus further enhances the value we provide to brand partners through maximizing their access to our luxury customers, providing additional customer and assortment insights, and aligning on the renovation plans for six of our stores within the next 18 months,” she added.
 
The final strategic development announced by the Neiman Marcus Group on Wednesday was the investment of $85 million in supply chain innovation, with a focus on systems and fulfillment centers.
 
Starting immediately, the company intends to employ these funds to implement multi-year supply chain improvements, such as the roll-out of a new order management system and a new warehouse system, as well as investments in the retailer’s Pinnacle Park distribution facility.
 
“As the demand for luxury products continues to grow, so does our supply chain network and infrastructure,” explained Willis Weirich, the Neiman Marcus Group’s EVP for group operations and chief supply chain officer. “These investments ensure that NMG can quickly deliver the luxury products our customers want.”
 
The Neiman Marcus Group emerged from restructuring in late September 2020, having filed for bankruptcy in May, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.