Crocs Inc. on Monday announced that Beth J. Kaplan has been appointed to its board of directors effective January 1, 2020.
Kaplan brings more than three decades of leadership, merchandising, e-commerce, retail and consumer marketing experience to Crocs’ board. She currently serves as a managing member of Axcel Partners LLC, investing in consumer-facing early stage and growth companies.
In addition to Axcel Partners, Kaplan is currently a director of the Meredith Corp. and the Howard Hughes Corp. She is also a director and adviser at Rent The Runway, Framebridge, Care/of, and Leesa Sleep.
Kaplan previously served as the president and CEO of Rent the Runway, which is disrupting the fashion industry by enabling women to rent versus buy clothing. In that capacity, she worked closely with the co-founders, overseeing finance, operations, merchandising, customer insights, business development and retail.
In addition, Kaplan has served in leadership positions for other global consumer brands, including president and chief merchandising and marketing officer, and director at General Nutrition Centers Inc., where she played an integral role in the company’s 2011 IPO, the most successful IPO that year. Additionally, she served as executive vice president and general manager at Bath & Body Works, executive vice president of marketing and merchandising at Rite Aid Drugstores, and had a 16-year tenure at Procter & Gamble, where she was president and general manager of the cosmetics and fragrance division, including Cover Girl and Max Factor.
“We are pleased to welcome Beth to Crocs’ board of directors,” said Thomas J. Smach, chairman of the board. “She has a record of positively impacting mainstream consumer brands, as well as infusing new thinking into product development, retail, e-commerce strategy and marketing. Her experience and leadership will be invaluable as we continue to see rapid growth that drives shareholder value.”
“Crocs is an iconic brand and its recent resurgence is nothing short of historic,” said Kaplan. “I look forward to helping the brand continue its incredible journey and advancing its goal of ensuring everyone is comfortable in their own shoes.”
Crocs President and CEO Andrew Rees added: “Beth brings a wealth of expertise to our company, and has achieved unparalleled accomplishments in her career across key areas of focus for us, such as marketing, merchandising and customer insights. She is a celebrated marketing professional and we are thrilled to have her join us as a strategic advisor and partner.”
