NEW YORK — Polo Ralph Lauren Corp.’s retail group has a new chief operating officer.
WWD has learned that Jeff Sherman will join the company as chief operating officer on April 19, succeeding Bridget Ryan Berman. Sherman’s appointment is expected to be announced today.
Berman plans to leave the company in June to pursue other interests. She will help with the transition when Sherman joins Polo. Sherman is expected to report directly to Roger Farah, president and chief operating officer of Polo Ralph Lauren.
Sources said that Sherman will be in charge of Polo Retail’s shared services support groups. His focus will be on executing the firm’s significant store rollout program, as well as its global expansion plans.
Executives at Polo could not be reached for comment.
WWD also learned that certain retail divisional heads will not be reporting directly to Sherman.
John Mehas, president of Club Monaco, will continue to report to Farah. Starting April 19, other retail executives — Wayne Meichner, president of Polo Retail Corp., Charles Fagan, executive vice president of Global Retail Brand Development, and Ken Pilot, president of Factory Outlets and Concept Development — will co-report to Farah and Ralph Lauren, chairman. Meichner previously reported to Farah and Berman; Fagan had reported to Farah, Lauren and Berman, and Pilot reported solely to Berman.
Sherman has a 30-year history in retail. Most recently, he was chief executive officer of the Limited Stores, where he was responsible for nearly 375 stores. His previous retail credits include a stint as chairman and ceo of Federated Direct, a $1.5 billion online and catalogue business, and a long career at Bloomingdale’s, first as chief financial officer and later as president and ceo.
Polo is scheduled to announce fourth-quarter results on May 26.
— Vicki M. Young