AUSTIN, Texas – Kendra Scott is stepping down as CEO of the namesake jewelry company she founded.
Tom nolan, President of Kendra Scott, was promoted to Executive Director, effective immediately. Scott will retain her role as Executive Chairman and majority owner in charge of design, customer experience and philanthropy.
Tom nolan
Kendra Scott founded the company in 2002 and was the sole CEO.
“Over the past seven years, Tom has been an incredible thought partner and a wonderful steward of the brand to me,” said Scott. “During this extraordinary time of retail transformation, there has been no better person to partner with me to grow the brand and the business. Tom is an experienced executive with constant customer focus, operational rigor and strong expertise in digital transformation. With Tom by my side as CEO, I can continue to focus on what I have always considered to be the core of the brand: exceptional design, strong philanthropic impact and an ongoing commitment to our client.
Nolan has over 20 years of experience as a senior executive in brand building, retail innovation and strategic planning. Prior to joining Kendra Scott, he held leadership roles at Ralph Lauren and Conde Nast and was Founder and CEO of Prospect Brands.
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Nolan joined Kendra Scott’s board of directors in 2014 and joined the company as director of revenue and marketing in 2016. In 2019 he was elevated to president.
Nolan worked alongside Scott on the flagship South Congress Austin company launch, a minority investment by Berkshire Partners that valued the company at $ 1 billion, and the launch of the Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute at University of Texas at Austin, where Scott is currently a practice teacher.
“Kendra’s vision, sense of purpose and design ability are second to none and I am both humbled and grateful for the confidence she has in me to take on this role,” said Nolan. “The retail industry is constantly evolving and I am excited to continue working alongside Kendra in this new role not only to deliver enduring value, but also with a shared responsibility to serve our customers and continue to have a positive impact on people’s lives every day through our philanthropy efforts.
“We have just completed a remarkable year and together, with Kendra Scott’s team, we will continue to build our Family, Fashion and Philanthropy pillars, which are at the heart of our culture, and drive the growth of this extraordinary brand. “
