James Brett

James "Jim" Brett

James "Jim" Brett is a business executive with extensive experience in the retail industry, particularly in merchandising and brand building. He has held several high-profile positions, including:

• CEO of J.Crew from June 2017 to November 201823
• President of West Elm, a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands, from January 2010 to June 2017123
• Chief Merchandising Officer at Urban Outfitters from August 2007 to January 201023
• Divisional Merchandise Manager for Anthropologie Home from 2003 to 20072

Brett joined the board of directors at Cole Haan LLC in January 2016, bringing his expertise in design-driven merchandising, impact sourcing, and innovative, cross-channel, relationship-driven brand building.15 He served as a Non Executive Board Member at Cole Haan until September 2020.34

Under Brett's leadership as President, West Elm reported 23 consecutive quarters of double-digit comparable brand revenue growth.1 He also launched initiatives such as West Elm Market, West Elm Local, and West Elm Workspace during his tenure.2

In addition to his corporate roles, Brett is involved in various non-profit activities, including serving on the advisory board of Nest, an organization that promotes business development for artisans and home workers.2 He is also a gay-rights advocate and the largest individual fund raiser for the 2015 AIDS Walk New York.2