New York — Omni Retail Enterprises, operator of a portfolio of lifestyle digital storefronts and communities including Pier 1 Imports, Stein Mart and Linens-n-Things, announced that retail veteran Sharon M. Leite is its new CEO.
“Omni’s brands are trusted by millions of consumers and have an incredible legacy. I am honored to join Omni at this pivotal time. We have a remarkable opportunity to accelerate growth by expanding into new channels and categories to make these iconic brands more accessible to consumers, while honoring their heritage,” said Leite. “I’m excited to lead these brands into a new era. The leadership team, which we are in the process of building, and ownership are committed to providing the expertise and resources needed so each brand can reach its potential.”
Leite has more than 25 years of leading consumer and retail businesses in a diverse range of industries from apparel, consumer-packaged goods, health and wellness and home. Omni officials say she brings deep consumer marketing and digital transformational expertise, strong operational experience, a proven track record of shareholder value creation and a demonstrated commitment to leadership and organizational development.
“We are thrilled Sharon will bring her tremendous passion for the consumer, depth of digital and retail experience, commitment to building a winning team and a proven track record of developing consumer brands to the newly formed Omni Retail Enterprises. Her unique background and experience make her the perfect choice as CEO for Omni at this critical time,” said Raj Gupta, executive chair of Omni Retail Enterprises.
Omni Retail Enterprises acquired the assets of Retail ECommerce Ventures, which revived the retail brands as pure-play e-commerce entities, earlier this year.
Most recently, Leite was CEO of Ideal Image, where she led a transformation and brand-growth strategy to the rapidly growing aesthetics, beauty and wellness categories. Prior to Ideal Image, she was CEO of The Vitamin Shoppe, where she led a successful turnaround, delivering the best performance in the company’s history.
Earlier in her career, Leite held executive leader roles at Godiva Chocolatier, Pier 1 Imports, Bath & Body Works, Gap Inc., and The Walt Disney Company. She currently serves on the boards of Lovesac and The M. J. Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University.
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