Kohl's names Doug Howe chief merchandising officer

By

Cassidy Mantor

Published
May 2, 2018

Kohl's has tapped 30-year retail veteran Doug Howe as its new chief merchandising officer. He will lead a transformation strategy for all merchandise functions including buying, planning, product design and development, and sourcing.

Kohl's will look to him to accelerate speed to market and to improve inventory management for national and proprietary brands. He brings experience in digital, department and mass retailers.

Howe comes to Kohl's from the Qurate Retail Group, which provides multiple services and analysis to QVC and HSN. Prior to assuming the Qurate CMO role, he led merchandising for QVC for a decade, focusing particularly on developing the channel's fashion business.

He also previously worked at Gap, Inc., where he was a leader in product design and development. Howe's career experience also includes various merchandising roles at Walmart, having served as SVP of Strategy, Design and Development.

He began his retail career at May Department Stores in their merchandise division and holds his Bachelor's degree in business administration from Creighton University.

Kohl's CEO-elect Michelle Gass said in a release that Howe "is a proven merchant and a visionary leader with a strong track record of driving growth through compelling products, brands, and customer experiences."

In his new position, Howe will report directly to Gass.