REI Co-op hired Apple Musni as chief people officer, effective March 20. The company also promoted Chris Speyer to senior vice president and chief merchandising officer and Isabelle Portilla to vice president, Co-op Brands, effective immediately.
“Apple brings a breadth of experience in retail and customer service and a strong point of view about how a progressive company with a strong ethos infuses its values through its people strategy,” said REI president and CEO Eric Artz. “Chris and Isabelle are both experienced leaders who have driven massive impact for the co-op in their tenure here and are well-positioned to lead our merchandising and Co-op Brands teams into the future.”
Musni is responsible for REI’s people-first strategy, leading its compensation and benefits package, HR, designing talent strategies, and advancing its racial equity commitments. Musni was most recently vice president of field people experience and recruiting at Chipotle Mexican Grill. Before that, she led HR and operational functions at McDonald’s and Target Corp. Musni serves as a board member for the United Ways of California and is a member of the CNBC Workforce Executive Council.
As the co-op’s Chief Merchandising Officer, Speyer will continue the company’s efforts in innovation and sustainability. He joined the company in 2017 as vice president of Co-op Brands, and his role expanded to include leadership of REI’s merchandising teams in 2021. Speyer also serves as executive sponsor of Prism, REI’s inclusion network for LGBTQ+ employees and allies.
Portilla joined the co-op in 2017, leading product strategy and design for Co-op Brands, including product collaborations with Outdoor Afro, Inc.
