Caleres added Kyle Gendreau, CEO of Samsonite International S.A., and Molly Langenstein, former CEO of Chico’s FAS, to its board, bringing the total to twelve members.
Under Gendreau’s leadership, Samsonite has reportedly driven growth through consumer-centric channel diversification, global expansion, and the acquisition and investment of a portfolio of brands. He has “championed the company’s sustainability initiatives and diversified its sourcing base.”
Before Gendreau was appointed CEO of Samsonite in 2018, he was the company’s CFO, instrumental in implementing its strategic plan, integrating the Tumi acquisition, and listing in the Hong Kong IPO.
Previously, Gendreau held various leadership roles in finance and accounting at Zoots Corporation, Specialty Catalog Corporation, and Coopers & Lybrand.
Most recently, Langenstein has served as the president and chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors of Chico’s FAS until the company was acquired in January 2024. While at Chico’s, Langenstein reportedly “returned the company to growth and profitability with a customer-led, product-focused and digital-first strategy focused on operational excellence.”
Before joining Chico’s, Langenstein spent nearly three decades at Macy’s, Inc. (and predecessor companies), where she held numerous executive positions in ready-to-wear and private brands at Macy’s and Bloomingdales.
“Kyle and Molly’s critical expertise will further round out the capabilities on our board,” said Diane Sullivan, executive chairman of Caleres. “Kyle brings global brand building and portfolio management expertise, M&A experience and significant financial acumen. Molly is a strategic leader with deep fashion brand and omnichannel understanding as well as a background in organizational optimization. Their combined operating experience and knowledge of the public company CEO role are of great value as we pursue our growth plans and focus on delivering shareholder value.”
Caleres’ brand portfolio includes Famous Footwear, Sam Edelman, Allen Edmonds, Naturalizer, and Vionic.
Image courtesy Caleres/Sam Edelman
