Yesterday, Bath & Body Works has appointed Daniel Heaf as its new chief executive officer, effective immediately, succeeding Gina Boswell, who has stepped down from her position and from the company’s board. Heaf brings with him a strong track record of driving transformation and digital innovation at globally recognized brands.
Prior to this appointment, Heaf served as chief strategy and transformation officer at Nike, where he also previously led Nike Direct. Earlier in his career, he held the role of senior vice president overseeing digital, marketing, customer service, and data at Burberry. His extensive experience in brand evolution and customer-centric growth made him a natural choice for the role, according to Sarah Nash, chair of the Bath & Body Works board.
“Daniel is a forward-thinking leader with a remarkable track record of driving innovative, transformative growth across iconic global brands,” said Nash. “His bold and direct leadership, coupled with a strong consumer-first mindset, makes him the right person to lead Bath & Body Works into its next chapter.”
Commenting on his new role, Heaf noted the brand’s “extraordinary untapped potential” and emphasized the opportunity to expand its influence in the global fragrance and beauty market. “With the foundation of an iconic brand, more than 50,000 associates, tens of millions of loyalty members, and a strong North American footprint, we have an opportunity to become the defining home fragrance and beauty brand of choice globally,” he said.
Heaf’s appointment follows Boswell’s recent temporary leave for a scheduled surgery. Her departure from the company marks the end of her tenure during which she helped stabilize operations and return the business to profitable revenue growth in the post-pandemic period.
Alongside the leadership transition, Bath & Body Works released preliminary financial results for the first quarter ended May 3. Net sales rose 3 percent year-over-year to $1.42 billion, slightly below analyst expectations, while earnings per diluted share came in at 49 cents, surpassing forecasts and up from 38 cents in the same period last year.
