SCAD appoints Hermès Americas chairman as university’s executive in residence

The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) has named Robert Chavez its executive in residence, a role he will assume immediately as the university heads into its 2024/25 academic year.

In this position, Chavez, who is the current executive chairman of Hermès Americas, will travel to the three SCAD locations – Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia, and Lacoste in France – to visit classes, review portfolios and offer mentorship to select students.

He will also work with SCAD leaders on reviewing assignments and developing new curriculum for the SCAD De Sole School of Business Innovation and the SCAD School of Fashion.

In a release, SCAD chief academic officer, Jason Fox, said: “Bob Chavez is a visionary leader in the international luxury space and a longtime champion of SCAD who will bring tremendous expertise and insights to the university’s esteemed academic programmes.

“We are honoured to have Bob serve as executive in residence and engage deeply with talented SCAD students across an array of disciplines. He is committed to SCAD’s mission to prepare talented students for creative professions.”

Chavez’s new role expands on his current relationship with SCAD, for whom he has been a long-time friend of the university and champion of its students. In 2019, SCAD had already recognised Chavez’s ties to the institution by awarding him with an honorary degree for human letters.

SCAD said this added presence emphasised the university’s “curricular preeminence” in a number of disciplines, including luxury and brand management, creative business leadership and design management.