Stitch Fix, Inc. announced that Matt Baer, former chief customer and digital officer at Macy’s, Inc., was hired as CEO and appointed as a member of the Board of Directors, effective June 26, 2023. Founder, Interim CEO and Executive Chairperson of the Board, Katrina Lake, will work closely with Baer as he transitions into the role.
Lake, who founded Stitch Fix in 2011 and was formerly CEO, will continue as executive chairperson. In January 2023, Lake replaced Elizabeth Spaulding as interim CEO. Spaulding joined the company as president in 2020 and was previously a partner at Bain & Company.
“I’m incredibly excited to join Stitch Fix as CEO. As someone with retail in my DNA, I’ve long admired what Katrina has built with Stitch Fix, fusing AI with stylists to offer the most convenient shopping experience out there today,” said Baer.
“When I returned to Stitch Fix as interim CEO in January this year, I was committed to finding an inspiring leader with a track record of excellent execution, passion for our mission and a clear dedication to serving our clients. As we’ve gotten to know Matt, I, our Board of Directors and our management team were all impressed by his experience across all areas of retail businesses and his ability to identify the interconnected opportunities to positively impact the experience of our clients in the short term while inspiring our teams to deliver an impactful vision for the future,” said Lake. “With Matt as our CEO, alongside our experienced management team, and with the continued commitment, passion and expertise of the whole Stitch Fix team, I’m confident we can continue to build on our significant competitive advantage in leveraging data and stylists to deliver the most personal experience in the industry and drive growth for the future.”
“On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Katrina for her leadership as interim CEO during this pivotal time and for the care and commitment she brought to the search for Stitch Fix’s next CEO. We share her confidence in Matt’s ability to lead Stitch Fix as it continues to deliver personal styling at scale and write the future of apparel retail,” added Sharon McCollam, Stitch Fix’s lead independent director. “We’re thrilled to continue working alongside Katrina in her capacity as the executive chairperson of Stitch Fix’s Board of Directors.”
As the chief customer and digital officer at Macy’s, Inc., Baer was responsible for the growth and strategic long-term vision for the retailer and Bloomingdale’s digital businesses, including Macy’s strategy and programs. During his time at Macy’s, Baer delivered “material digital growth (FY22 +31 percent to FY19) and launched or scaled several impactful initiatives, including a third-party marketplace, Macy’s Media Network, a modern redesign of macys.com and the Macy’s mobile app, Macy’s Live, livestream shopping, Own Your Style brand platform, an improved Macy’s style crew, curbside pickup, same day delivery, and the creation of the Enterprise Data and Analytics function.”
Before Macy’s, Baer was vice president of eCommerce at Walmart.com, where he helped lead the “transformation and scaling of Walmart’s digital business.” Before Walmart, he founded a digital marketplace, held executive positions at two retail startups and practiced complex commercial litigation. Earlier in his career, Baer worked across all functions of a family retail business.
Photo courtesy Stitch Fix
