Colaco Joins Pier 1, Chief Customer Officer

November 8, 2018  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Economic News, Industry   

In this newly created position, Colaco will lead the merchandising organization and oversee product development, planning and allocations, stores, marketing and e-Commerce. She will report to Alasdair James, president and CEO.

“We are thrilled to welcome Donna in this new role as we continue to focus on bringing the customer to the center of everything we do,” said James. “With 40 years of experience in the retail industry, she brings a successful track record of reinventing brands, spearheading new business initiatives, and driving long-term sales and profit growth, which we believe will be instrumental to our success at this time of transformation. Moreover, Donna’s deep expertise in merchandising and omni-channel operations, married with her focus on brand-building and customer centricity, make her an ideal addition to our leadership team as we execute our ‘New Day’ plan.”

Most recently, Colaco served as brand president of White House Black Market, a Chico's FAS, Inc. brand, from Aug. 2007 to Jan. 2018. During her tenure, she led a brand repositioning and business turnaround, and was responsible for retail and e-commerce operations, including 500 stores, as well as brand development, product design, marketing, merchandising and financial planning.

Colaco also served as a member of the Chico’s FAS Executive Committee, which was responsible for developing corporate initiatives and business strategy. Prior to that, she spent 11 years with Ann Taylor Stores Corporation, where she held positions of increasing responsibility within the merchandising organization, successfully launched the Loft outlet division, and served as head of e-Commerce for the Ann Taylor brand.

From 2006 to 2007, Colaco was president of Ann Taylor Loft, a $1 billion apparel and accessories business. Earlier in her career, she held positions as a buyer and merchandise manager for Limited, Inc.’s Lerner New York Division, and was a buyer for Petrie Stores Corporation. She has been a member of the Board of Directors of Dover Saddlery, a specialty retailer and omni-channel marketer of equestrian products, since 2015.

“I am excited to be joining a company with Pier 1’s rich brand history, seasoned leadership team and deep commitment to its customer,” said Colaco. “The Company has a number of strengths to leverage as we seek to transform Pier 1’s brand proposition, deliver superior value to the customer, and reinvigorate sales growth. I look forward to working with Alasdair and the executive team as we enter our peak season and beyond.”