RALPH LAUREN STRENGTHENS LEADERSHIP TEAM WITH TWO NEW APPOINTMENTS

Ralph Lauren Corporation has announced two senior executive appointments, further solidifying its leadership team in support of its Way Forward Plan.

Jonathan Bottomley has been named chief marketing officer, a newly created role for the company. He will be responsible for evolving Ralph Lauren’s brand voice, leading the global marketing team and building cut-through marketing strategies across the company’s brands.

Tom Mendenhall has been named brand president of Men’s Polo, Purple Label and Double RL. In this newly created role, all men’s brand functions will report into Mendenhall, including design and merchandising, and he will be charged with maximizing brand strength to improve sales growth.

“As we write our next chapter, we continue to add exceptionally strong leaders with the passion, energy, and talent to lead our company into the future,” said Ralph Lauren. “Both Jonathan and Tom bring a fresh perspective and incredible depth of brand experience to Ralph Lauren. They each have impressive track records and we are looking forward to welcoming them into our leadership as our evolution continues.”

Bottomley joins Ralph Lauren most recently from Vice Media, where he served as chief strategy officer of Virtue. Prior to that, he was chief strategy officer and managing partner in the London headquarters of Bartle Bogle Hegarty where he led strategic brand-building efforts for clients across the luxury and consumer lifestyle sectors. He will be a part of the company’s Executive Team and dual report to Valerie Hermann, president of global brands and Ralph Lauren, executive chairman and chief creative officer, on an interim basis. He will then report to the new CEO, once that appointment is made. He begins at the company on April 3.

Mendenhall joins Ralph Lauren from Tom Ford International, where he served as chief operating officer for more than a decade, working alongside Tom Ford to build the brand from its inception. Prior to that, Mendenhall was a senior vice president at Abercrombie & Fitch. He also spent eight years as worldwide director of merchandising at Gucci. He will report to Valerie Hermann, president of global brands, and will begin with the company on March 29.

Hermann added, “Jonathan and Tom will play critical roles as we move forward in our evolution as a brand and Company. Jonathan’s innovative, integrated approach will bring freshness and cohesion to our iconic marketing efforts, while Tom’s proven experience and recognized excellence in men’s will support our continued growth in this category.”