May 19 (UPI) -- Bath & Body Works named a new CEO as the personal care retail giant looks to broaden its customer base.
The company named Daniel Heaf its CEO effective immediately, becoming its second chief executive in less than three years.
"Through a strategic search, the board recognized a rare and exciting opportunity to bring on Daniel as the next CEO of Bath & Body Works," Bath & Body Works board chair Sarah Nash said in a release, calling Heaf a "forward-thinking leader" who has a "remarkable track record of driving innovative, transformative growth across iconic global brands."
Heaf, until recently Nike's chief strategy and information officers until the role was eliminated, will replace Gina Boswell effective immediately.
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"I am honored and energized by the opportunity to lead Bath & Body Works into its next chapter of growth," Heaf says.
He will be introduced Monday to company employees at its Columbus, Ohio, headquarters after meeting with top executives Sunday and moving to the area over the weekend.
Boswell, 62, took the CEO job in December 2022 after arriving from Unilever.
She lead Bath & Body Works' more than 50,000 associates, its nearly 2,000 company-owned and more than 425 franchised store locations through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last Tuesday, she was elected to the board of directors of Clorox effective Tuesday on Heaf's first day as CEO after she underwent surgery and took a leave of absence for several weeks in March.
Meanwhile, the company is looking for "acceleration" as it seeks to expand its international footprint, and aims to further expand in the tween market while raking in additional male clientele, a person familiar told CNBC.
In addition, the Ohio-based retailer released its preannounced first-quarter results, which showed that both its revenue and profit surpassed estimates.
It said company revenue grew 3% year-over-year to $1.42 billion while its earnings per share of 49 cents topped last year's 38 cents.
Bath & Body Works products, with a large part of its supply chain U.S.-based, has reduced its exposure to U.S. President Donald Trump's broad tariff plans.
According to company officials, their "forward-looking" financial guidance reflected the impact of the initial 10% tariff on goods imported from China.
However, they added it excluded potential impacts "from other possible tariff changes."
