Gildan Activewear, Inc. has made several executive leadership nominations and a CFO transition as part of a multi-year succession planning process and driving forward with the Gildan Sustainable Growth Strategy.

  • Chuck Ward, president o f Sales, Marketing and Distribution, has been appointed to the newly created role of EVP and COO, effective March 1. He will continue to report to President and CEO Glenn J. Chamandy.

Ward joined Gildan in 2011 through the acquisition of GoldToe Moretz, where he served as EVP and CFO and initially led the integration of GoldToe into Gildan. Over the years, he has held several senior roles at Gildan, including its yarn-spinning operations, overseeing supply chain planning and running sales, marketing and distribution.

EVP and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer Rhodri (Rhod) J. Harries has informed the Board of his intention to retire on January 1, 2026.

  • Luca Barile, CFO of Sales, Marketing and Distribution, will succeed Rhod as EVP and CFO on March 1. To facilitate a smooth transition Rhod will retain his chief administrator officer role until his retirement.

Luca Barile began his career as a senior auditor for an accounting firm in 2008 before joining Gildan in 2012. At Gildan, Barile has held various roles in financial planning and analysis, internal audit and enterprise risk management before being promoted to the CFO role in 2023 for Sales, Marketing and Distribution.

“I would like to express my deep appreciation to Rhod, who has guided our financial performance through many key phases for our company,” said Chamandy. “Since 2015, he has been an invaluable partner to me, his executive peers and to his teams. He has safeguarded the company’s solid financial position through disciplined capital allocation, contributing to the achievement of our long-term financial objectives and setting the stage for the future. Although we will still be working together through 2025, I wish him well in retirement next year and want to thank him for his significant contribution to our success.”

Chamandy added, “I am very pleased to welcome Chuck and Luca into their new roles — appointments that are a testament to our internal bench strength and the effectiveness of our multi-year succession planning efforts. They are both outstanding leaders who are well positioned to step into their roles as we continue to achieve our financial goals, pursue the next exciting stage in Gildan’s growth strategy and drive enhanced long-term value for our stakeholders.”

Image courtesy Gildan Activewear. Inc.