Justin MacFarlane has rejoined AlixPartners as a partner and managing director in its global retail practice.
“His deep experience in broad-scale transformations, both on the growth side and the cost side and as a retailer as well as a consultant, make him exceptionally valuable to our clients in these unprecedentedly disruptive times in this industry,” said David Bassuk, global head of the retail practice at AlixPartners.
MacFarlane has nearly three decades of experience in consulting and as a C-suite executive at large retailers and has expertise in “transforming companies for growth and leading operational improvements to increase financial results, and is also an expert in digital transformations in the retail and consumer space,” AlixPartners indicated in its announcement Tuesday about MacFarlane.
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According to LinkedIn, MacFarlane most recently operated his own consulting firm called Soundview Advisory. Before that, he was executive vice president and chief customer officer of Ascena Retail Group which in December 2020 was bought out of bankruptcy by Sycamore Partners, bringing the Ann Taylor, Loft, Lou & Grey and Lane Bryant brands into the Sycamore portfolio.
Prior to Ascena, MacFarlane was chief strategy, analytics and innovation officer at Macy’s Inc., where he helped on the company’s transformation involving margin expansion, inventory efficiency, cost management and reduction of operational complexity. Earlier in his career, he was senior vice president of corporate strategy at Ann Inc., owner of the Ann Taylor, Loft and Lou & Grey brands before it was acquired by Ascena. He also served as executive vice president and chief customer officer at Ascena.
From 2006 to 2010, prior to his retail positions, MacFarlane worked at AlixPartners.
AlixPartners’ clients include companies, corporate boards, law firms, investment banks, private equity firms and others. AlixPartners worked on Hudson’s Bay Co.’s separation of its dot-com and brick-and-mortar operations at the Saks Fifth Avenue, Hudson’s Bay and Saks Off 5th divisions. The firm also worked with Macy’s Inc. and its board on a review of its operations, leading to a decision not to spin off its digital business after Macy’s had been under pressure from activist shareholder Jana Partners to create separate dot-com and brick-and-mortar store businesses.
Founded in 1981, AlixPartners is headquartered in New York and has offices in more than 20 cities around the world.