On the Move: Target's new digital head, evo's first CMO

​Target hires digital chief

Prat Vemana was named chief digital and product officer at Target, leading teams including site merchandising, user experience, digital operations and product, as well as online marketplace, Target+.

Vemana comes to the retailer from Kaiser Permanente, where he served as chief digital officer and senior vice president. He previously held top digital roles at The Home Depot and Staples.

In an interview on the company’s website following the announcement, Vemana was asked what his superpower is.

“I break silos and build relationships,” he said. “As someone who leads with optimism, I believe digital is a team sport — important ideas can come from anywhere in the organization. I like to think I use my superpower to bring different viewpoints together and guide the team to a solution that works for everyone.”

Evo names first chief marketing officer

Outdoor brand evo promoted Rebecca Heard to chief marketing officer from the role of VP brand, marketing, and ecommerce.

In the new role, Heard will oversee brand, marketing, creative, and merchandising functions.

"Since joining evo three years ago, Rebecca has led the work of elevating our brand, refining our marketing and e-commerce strategies, and driving our focus on the consumer. I'm excited for Rebecca and the team, and proud to have a strong woman representing evo at the highest level," said Bryce Phillips, founder, and CEO of evo.

Heard assumes the new role at a time when it is evolving from a retailer to include other businesses, such as travel, retail, recreation and hospitality. It is planning to roll out a new loyalty program that connects all of the brand’s verticals.

A former VP at Lululemon, Heard joined evo in 2019.

Additionally, Katie Little is joining the brand as director of evo stores. Little previously worked at Lululemon, bringing experience in retail operations and front-line team building.

Under Armour adds 2 executive leaders

Under Armour is making the following additions to its executive team:

• David Baxter is being promoted to president of the Americas, succeeding Stephanie Pugliese, who is set to leave the company in early 2023.
• Mehri Shadman was promoted to chief legal officer and corporate secretary. Current chief legal officer John Stanton is retiring at the end of the year after 16 years with the company.

A new women’s leader at Jordan Brand

Tonia Jones was appointed to lead the women’s business at the Jordan Brand, Footwear News reported.

A 33-year veteran of Nike, Inc, which owns the Jordan Brand, Jones was most recently head of SNKRS and NBHD Marketplace, and previously worked at the Jordan Brand in regional leadership roles.

Nike executives shared on an earnings call in June that the Jordan Brand women’s business tripled between 2020 and 2022.

Qurate Retail Group names COO

Scott Barnhart was named chief operating officer at video commerce company Qurate Retail Group, which owns QVC and HSN. The wide-ranging role includes oversight of global supply chain and business functions, as well as US customer experience and fulfillment, among other areas. He will also play a key role in executing the company’s strategic growth plan, called Project Athens.

Barnhart most recently served as president of global medical products and supply chain at Cardinal Health. He previously served as an executive at Aramark, and held supply chain roles at Conagra Brands and Diageo.