Vancouver-based Kit and Ace has hired former Roots executive Wendy Bennison to be its new president.
“She was with Roots for a number of years and drove that brand and all of the big results we keep hearing from them over the past years,” former interim CEO Paul Wilson told Business in Vancouver May 5.
“She’s joined us and is on the ground and today was her first day in the business. It’s great to have her on board.”
Wilson remains as the CEO of Hold It All, which is a holding company for all of Lululemon founder Chip Wilson and his wife Shannon Wilson’s investments.
He is not related to the Wilson family, which owns Kit and Ace. Yet, he was temporarily Kit and Ace’s CEO after the company’s let its former CEO, Darrell Kopke, go.
The company is still seeking a COO, Wilson said.
“The new president will have some opinions on how she wants to organize that business,” he said.
Bennison had been president and COO at clothing retailer Roots and had a ushered the company through significant expansion.
She also worked for about 14 years at Mark’s Work Warehouse, including a stint as vice-president of national operations.
Wilson is a former executive vice-president at Mark’s Work Warehouse.
Kit and Ace was recently named one of Fast Company’s most innovative companies.
Principal, and Chip Wilson's son, JJ Wilson told BIV in February that the company had 61 stores in five countries and that he expected several more showrooms to open this year in locations where leases are yet to be signed.
The company first opened its doors in Vancouver in July 2014.
