J.Jill President and CEO Claire Spofford will retire in April 2025 and the women’s apparel brand has hired an executive search firm to find her successor.
Spofford, who has been in her role since February 2021, helped J.Jill deliver “healthy, sustainable margin performance and significant cash-flow generation driven by disciplined inventory management and a strong focus on full-price selling,” according to a company statement. She also worked to elevate and modernize the J.Jill brand, using customer insights to help women feel valued, heard and seen in the company’s marketing campaigns, ecommerce experiences and stores.
“Under Claire’s leadership, J.Jill has strengthened its operating model and made strategic investments to improve the overall health of the business, creating a pathway toward profitable, sustainable growth,” said Michael Rahamim, Chairman of the Board in a statement. “We are grateful for Claire’s service and unwavering commitment to the brand, customer, team and our shareholders.”
Over the coming months, Spofford will work with the J.Jill executive team and Board of Directors to ensure a seamless transition as the retailer ventures into its next phase of growth.
“After four years leading this incredible company and after nearly three decades leading retail organizations, I have decided that the time is right for a new chapter,” said Spofford in a statement. “I am extremely proud of what our team has accomplished together, transforming J.Jill into a stronger, more agile retailer. We implemented rigorous operational disciplines with a new mindset in earning our way back into growth and have taken steps to modernize the brand, enhance our value proposition and strengthen our omnichannel capabilities — all while maintaining our unwavering focus on serving our customers.”
Prior to J.Jill, Spofford held leadership positions at Cornerstone Brands, Garnet Hill, Orchard Brands and Timberland.
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