Chico’s appoints Kevin Mansell as the next board chairman

Chico's FAS, Inc. has appointed Kevin Mansell as the next chair of the board, effective immediately following the company's 2022 annual meeting of shareholders.

With Mansell's appointment, the company said, Bonnie Brooks, who has served as executive chair of the board since 2020 and will continue to serve as a director and a member of the merchant committee and executive committee.

"On behalf of the board, we are deeply appreciative of Bonnie's leadership as executive chair through a time of unparalleled challenges and transformation for Chico's FAS," said Jan Fields, chair of the company's corporate governance and nominating committee, adding, “Kevin has been an important voice in the boardroom since joining the board last year, and we are pleased he has agreed to serve as chair."

Kevin Mansell replaces Bonnie Brooks as Chico's FAS board chairman

Mansell joined the board in April 2021 and has served as lead independent director since the company's 2021 annual meeting of shareholders. Mansell has more than 40 years of experience in the retail industry. Prior to joining Chico's FAS board, he spent over 35 years at Kohl's Corporation, most recently serving as its chairman, chief executive officer and president before retiring in May 2018.

Commenting on his appointment as the next board chairman, Mansell said, "Chico's FAS has made tremendous strides in returning to growth and has a clear path forward to further enhance value creation for our shareholders. As I look forward to leading our board as chair, I am confident the team is implementing the right strategy and taking the necessary actions to position Chico's FAS as a digital-first, customer-led retailer."

Brooks has been a director on the board since 2016 and served as CEO and president of the company from 2019 to 2020, after serving as interim CEO and president since April 24, 2019.

"It was a great honor to lead the Chico's FAS board, particularly during a period when we needed to navigate the impact of the pandemic on the retail industry, to appoint a new CEO to lead the company into the future and to take significant steps to position our three brands for long-term success,” added Brooks.