David’s Bridal is putting Kelly Cook, its current President of Brand, Technology and Finance, into the CEO seat starting April 1. On that date, the company’s current CEO, Jim Marcum, will become Executive Chairman and remain Chairman of the board.
Cook has been with David’s Bridal for more than five years, starting as EVP and Chief Marketing Officer. However, her responsibilities quickly expanded beyond marketing and customer experience, including driving the brand’s loyalty initiatives, into technology innovation and finance. In fact, Cook helped drive and shape the David’s Bridal loyalty strategy to adopt a more community-driven approach and serve entire bridal parties. Her knowledge and hands-on approach to driving these areas of the David’s Bridal business will be critical in the company’s efforts to expand into new categories, and even new media channels, following its second bankruptcy in 2023.
Listen to Kelly Cook on the Retail Remix podcast to explore the evolution of the bridal industry and what it takes to win loyalty.
Evolving and Diversifying the David’s Bridal Business
Central to the evolved vision for David’s Bridal is making it a true media company that uses content and advertising to reach and resonate with audiences. In December 2024, David’s Bridal acquired the wedding media brand Love Stories TV (now rebranded as Love Stories by David’s) and launched the Pearl Media Network. In August 2024, the company hired Elina Vilk as its new Chief Business Officer, who has had stints at major tech companies including Hoostuite, Meta, PayPal and Visa.
Cook brings more than 20 years of experience to the table, including expertise in omnichannel strategy, IT and digital transformation as well as branding and marketing. Prior to joining David’s Bridal, she held executive marketing leadership roles at DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, Continental Airlines, Pier 1 and others.
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