(Reuters) -Kohl’s Corp <KSS.N> named retail veteran Michael Bender as its permanent CEO on Monday, in the company’s fourth appointment to the top job in three years.
Bender was named interim CEO in May after the company fired Ashley Buchanan after just 100 days in the role, following an investigation finding he had pushed for deals with a vendor with whom he had a personal relationship.
Bender takes the post as the department store operator tries to turn weak sales around amid stiff competition from e-commerce firms and big-box retailers.
The move is the latest in a string of leadership changes sweeping through the retail sector as companies tackle tariff pressures, an uncertain economy and a choppy consumer spending backdrop.
Here are some examples of major CEO changes among global consumer goods companies in the past year.
Company Date of Details
Announcement
Kohl’s November 24, Kohl’s Corp
Corp 2025 named
retail veteran
Michael Bender as its permanent
CEO, after he served as the
interim chief since May.
Bender replaced
Ashley Buchanan, former CEO who
was
fired
for personal
relationship with a vendor.
Walmart November 14, The company said Doug McMillon,
2025 who has been heading the retail
bellwether since 2014, will
retire in January 2026.
John Furner,
McMillon’s successor, currently
serves as CEO of Walmart U.S.
and has held leadership roles
at the company.
Nestle August 23, Nestle dismissed its CEO,
2025 Laurent Freixe, a year after
appointing him, following an
investigation into an
undisclosed romantic
relationship with a direct
subordinate that breached the
company’s code of conduct.
Freixe was replaced by Philipp
Navratil, CEO of Nestle
Nespresso, on September 1.
Target August 20, The retailer named longtime
2025 company veteran Michael
Fiddelke as its CEO, replacing
retail industry bigwig Brian
Cornell, effective February 1,
2026.
Procter & July 28, 2025 Procter & Gamble CEO said CEO
Gamble Jon Moeller is stepping away
from the role, to be succeeded
by Chief Operating Officer
Shailesh Jejurikar.
Diageo July 16, 2025 The Johnnie Walker whisky and
Guinness beer maker’s CEO,
Debra Crew, stepped down after
two years in the job, with
finance chief Nik Jhangiani
taking over in the interim.
Kenvue July 14, 2025 The Band-Aid and Tylenol maker
fired its CEO Thibaut Mongon,
laying what some investors
expect will be the groundwork
for an eventual sale of the
entire company or pieces of it,
and named director Kirk Perry
as interim CEO.
Hindustan July 10, 2025 Hindustan Unilever named Priya
Unilever Nair as managing director and
CEO, replacing Rohit Jawa well
before the completion of his
five-year term as the company’s
chief.
Hershey July 8, 2025 Hershey named burger chain
Wendy’s chief Kirk Tanner as
its CEO, effective August 18,
replacing Michele Buck, who is
set to retire.
Stanley June 30, 2025 The power tools maker appointed
Black & operations chief Christopher
Decker Nelson as its next CEO and
President, effective October 1,
succeeding Donald Allan Jr.,
who is set to retire.
Unilever February 25, The company ousted chief
2025 executive Hein Schumacher,
replacing him with finance
chief Fernando Fernandez.
(Reporting by Neil J Kanatt and Sanskriti Shekhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona, Andrea Ricci, Anil D’Silva and Sahal Muhammed)
