Big Lots Taps Jonathan Ramsden as EVP and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer

June 27, 2019  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Industry   

Ramsden will succeed Timothy A. Johnson, who will transition away from his roles to pursue other opportunities in the for-profit and not-for-profit arenas. Johnson has agreed to continue in an advisory role through Labor Day to provide the opportunity for a smooth transition for the business.

Ramsden brings to Big Lots more than 20 years of experience in senior executive roles with U.S. public companies in the retail and marketing services industries. He spent over seven years with Abercrombie & Fitch Co., joining as CFO in 2008 and later serving as the company's COO, where his responsibilities included finance, strategy, technology, legal, supply chain, real estate and e-commerce, and as interim principal executive officer and as a member of the office of the chairman following the departure of the former CEO.

Prior to A&F, he spent ten years as CFO of TBWA Worldwide, a global marketing services group, after having served as controller of TBWA's parent, the Omnicom Group Inc. Ramsden began his career with Arthur Andersen in London after graduating from Oxford University with a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics with first class honors. He is a UK Chartered Accountant. 

"We are excited to welcome a leader of Jonathan's breadth of knowledge to Big Lots as we continue to transform and more competitively position the business for long-term success under our Operation North Star strategic plan," said Bruce Thorn, president and CEO of Big Lots. "Jonathan's extensive experience in financial management, strategy and operations, along with his deep knowledge of the retail industry, make him an ideal fit for our organization. I am confident that we will benefit from his expertise and insights as we remain focused on enhancing our strengths and implementing initiatives to accelerate sales, fund the journey and ultimately win in an ever-changing retail environment." 

Ramsden said, "I am excited about the opportunity to join the Big Lots team and apply my experience building and growing 21st century retail businesses. Big Lots has a distinguished history, a strong, nationally-recognized brand, and a noble purpose of helping people live better lives. I look forward to working alongside Bruce and the other members of the leadership team as the company continues its efforts to drive growth and deliver great value to customers, associates and shareholders." 

Thorn continued, "On behalf of everyone at Big Lots, I want to extend our sincere gratitude and appreciation to Tim for his numerous contributions to the Company. During his 18+ year career with Big Lots, Tim has helped oversee the growth and professionalization of our finance function, while also leading our real estate and asset protection teams. The business experienced significant change during his time with the Company, and he was consistently a calming voice leading with honesty and integrity while putting his teams and the business first. Among his numerous achievements, Tim led our relationship with Nationwide Children's Hospital and was instrumental in our decision to help NCH break the stigmas associated with pediatric behavioral health issues. After giving so much to Big Lots over the years, it would not be surprising to see Tim grow his passion for not-for-profit service."