Alex and Ani, LLC, one of Inc. Magazine’s 500 fastest growing private companies in America, announced today that Harlan M. Kent has been named President of the Company. The former CEO of Yankee Candle, Mr. Kent is a seasoned executive with nearly 30 years of experience working in consumer focused public and private businesses, with a proven track record of building brands and driving profitable growth across multiple channels of distribution.
“We are delighted to bring someone with Harlan’s talent and experience to the Company,” said Carolyn Rafaelian, founder and CEO. “His passion for creating relevancy in quality infused products, stewarding authentic brand building and developing high performance teams fits perfectly within the Alex and Ani culture and the strategic direction we envision for the Company.”
Mr. Kent spent 13 years at Yankee Candle and under his leadership the company grew 2.5 times. During his tenure at Yankee Candle, he led the development of a world class team focused on innovative growth across a store base of 565 company stores, 30,000 wholesale locations, a dynamic digital business and a rapidly expanding international footprint. After leaving Yankee Candle in 2014, Mr. Kent served as CEO of C Wonder, an apparel retailer owned by Burch Creative Capital.
Prior to Yankee Candle, he held marketing and sales leadership roles with Totes Isotoner, Olin Corporation and the Campbell Soup Company. He started his career as a consultant with Bain & Company in Boston. Mr. Kent has served on the boards of AT Cross, Rue 21, and the Connecticut Children’s Medical Hospital. He currently sits on the boards of PF Changs and The Savory Spice Shop. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College with a degree cum laude in economics. Mr. Kent lives in West Hartford Connecticut with his wife Patty and their three children.