Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) announced the appointment of a new chief digital officer on Friday as it continues to pursue DTC growth.
Jason Gowans, a former leader of Nordstrom’s (JWN) digital business, is set to join the denimwear leader as of February 6. He is expected to steward e-commerce efforts as the company continues to invest in online sales. In October, CEO Chip Bergh highlighted $270M in CapEx to be allocated toward direct to consumer business investments as a key growth driver into the start of calendar year 2023.
“Jason is a seasoned leader with a proven track record and expertise in creating digital experiences that delight consumers, and I have no doubt that he will help us accelerate our strategies to digitally transform the company and be direct-to-consumer (DTC) first,” Bergh said on Thursday evening. “Jason’s deep knowledge of data science, combined with his strong digital expertise, will help us digitally transform all parts of our business — from supply chain to marketing to ecommerce — and accelerate our growth.”
He is set to report to company president Michelle Gass, who joined Levi Strauss (LEVI) earlier in January after a tumultuous tenure as CEO of Kohl’s Corporation (KSS). Gass is slated to transition to company CEO over the next 18 months.