Retail’s Female CEOs Are Delivering on Brand Transformation and Driving Unprecedented Returns

Although the number of female CEO appointments declined in 2025 compared with 2024, women executives in retail continue to lead some of the sector’s most notable brand transformations. From specialty apparel to beauty, accessories, and more, these CEOs are reshaping brands in ways that are driving both earnings and cultural relevance. The pattern is clear: gender-diverse leadership continues to deliver exceptional business outcomes. 

At Abercrombie & Fitch, Fran Horowitz has led one of the sector’s most closely watched turnarounds. Since becoming CEO in 2017, she has repositioned the brand toward inclusivity and relevance with both Millennial and Gen Z consumers. The financial impact has been material. As of Q3 2025, Abercrombie delivered another record quarter, with net sales of $1.3 billion, up 7% year over year, marking Abercrombie’s twelfth consecutive quarter of growth.  

At Ulta Beauty, Kecia Steelman, who was appointed President and CEO in 2025, is steering the brand through the next chapter of scale amid a complex omnichannel environment. In her first year, Steelman refocused the organization on sharper operational discipline, expansion into new markets, including the UK and the Middle East, improved customer experience, and continued investment in digital growth, while keeping customer loyalty central to the company’s strategic approach – and it’s paying off. In Q3 of 2025, net sales totaled $2.9 billion, a 12.9% increase from the previous year. 

At Tapestry, the parent of Coach, Joanne Crevoiserat has sharpened brand identity while driving financial performance. Since stepping into the CEO role in 2020, she has helped the organization prioritize younger consumers, leverage data-informed merchandising, and elevate brand storytelling. As a result, in 2025, Tapestry achieved record Q4 revenue of $1.7 billion, an increase of 8% year-over-year, which was driven by a 14% growth margin for the Coach brand. Overall, the company delivered record annual revenue of $7 billion, of which, Coach fueled 10% of brand growth. 

At Victoria’s Secret, Hillary Super is leading the legacy brand through a transformation. Since taking the helm in September 2024, she has worked to re-energize the product, modernize marketing, and accelerate growth across all categories and geographies. As of Q3 2025, Victoria’s Secret reported net sales of $1.472 billion, a 9% increase year-over-year, and comparable sales increased 8% year-over-year. 

At Dick’s Sporting Goods, CEO Lauren Hobart has guided the company through pandemic volatility into sustained growth. Hobart, appointed CEO in 2021, accelerated digital investment and elevated experiential retail, including House of Sport concept stores. In fiscal Q3 2025, Dick’s reported 5.7% growth in comparable sales year-over-year and adjusted their full year guidance for annual sales growth from between 2.0% and 3.5% to between 3.5% and 4.0%. 

These examples point to a broader narrative across retail. Women executives are recognizing the importance of understanding a younger consumer and their influence on the retail sector, and leveraging this knowledge to revolutionize brands, modernize operating models, and deliver shareholder returns in complex market conditions. Boards with transformational mandates should approach succession thoughtfully, ensuring diverse candidate slates that reflect the full spectrum of available leadership talent. Expanding the field increases the probability of appointing the right leader – one who is capable of redefining a brand’s trajectory in an industry that uniquely rewards both legacy and novelty.