American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. appointed Ravi Thanawala, a former chief financial officer of Nike North America, as chief financial officer.
Thanawala was a CFO of Nike North America at Nike, Inc. from June 2020 to July 2023. From 2018 to 2020, Thanawala served as the global VP and CFO of Nike’s Converse brand. In addition, he was the global VP of Retail Excellence at Nike from 2016 to 2018.
Prior to American Eagle Outfitters, Thanawala was chief financial officer and president, North America, of Papa John’s International, Inc.
At American Eagle Outfitters, Thanawala succeeds Mike Mathias, EVP, chief financial officer, and will transition to serve as a full-time non-executive strategic advisor to Jay Schottenstein, executive chairman of the board and chief executive officer, effective August 3.
Thanawala said, “American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. has been a premier specialty retailer for generations with longstanding market leadership, and I am honored to step into the role as CFO. I have long admired AEO’s powerful portfolio of beloved lifestyle brands, including American Eagle and Aerie, as well as the disciplined financial foundation and strong operational framework that Jay, Mike and the team have established. My immediate priority is working with Mike to ensure a seamless transition that maintains organizational momentum. Looking ahead, I am excited to partner with Jay and leadership to accelerate long-term strategic initiatives, maintain financial discipline and unlock new avenues for profitable growth that will help to maximize value for our shareholders.”
Images courtesy American Eagle Outfitters/Nike, Inc.
