Bath & Body Works has named Daniel Heaf as its new CEO, effective immediately. He replaces Gina Boswell, who is stepping down from the post and the company’s board. Heaf brings two decades of experience, most recently as Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at Nike and featuring stints at Burberry and BBC Worldwide.
No specific reason was given for Boswell’s departure, but Sarah Nash, Chair of the Bath & Body Works Board, thanked her in a statement: “In the post-COVID normalization period she was able to stabilize the business and return it to profitable revenue growth.”
In his most recent role at Nike, Heaf delivered material productivity gains by refocusing resources and investment in product and brand. Prior to that, as VP of Nike Direct, Heaf oversaw 45,000 employees in 9,000 stores across 41 countries, more than doubling the business to $22.3 billion in five years.
“Daniel is a forward-thinking leader with a remarkable track record of driving innovative, transformative growth across iconic global brands,” said Nash in a statement. “He brings bold and direct leadership which energizes and inspires teams to rally behind him. His vision for evolving Bath & Body Works to be highly coveted, relevant and resonant for customers everywhere — combined with his consumer-first mindset — make him the right person to lead Bath & Body Works.”
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Retailer Amps Up Appeal to Gen Z
Bath & Body Works adjusted its leadership structure in September 2024, eliminating the role of President of Retail with the departure of Julie Rosen, the last person to hold the title. In a statement at the time, then-CEO Boswell said: “Having made significant progress in fortifying our operating foundation and building our platform for long-term, sustainable growth, we believe that now is the right time for this change and that we will benefit from accelerated decision-making as a flatter organization.”
In March 2025 Bath & Body Works debuted its tech-enhanced Gingham+ store design, created to appeal to Gen Z consumers, in 15+ locations, with plans to roll it out for the majority of U.S. store openings going forward. The brand’s outreach to younger shoppers also includes its “Come Back To Your Senses” campaign spotlighting the sense of smell and featuring actress Jessica Williams from the Apple+ series Shrinking.
