Arden B. President Named Bebe CEO
Greg Scott, the veteran retail executive responsible for making Arden B. one of the few consistently high-performing divisions owned by Foothill Ranch, Calif.–based The Wet Seal Inc., was named chief executive officer of Brisbane, Calif.–based Bebe Stores Inc. on Feb. 17.
The announcement ended speculation about Scott’s next move after his unexpected departure from Arden B. in early January.
Jeffrey Van Sinderen, a retail analyst from Los Angeles–based B. Riley & Co., said Bebe has much to gain from its latest hire.
“The company has held off on aggressively developing the Bebe Sport chain until they had somebody in place,” Van Sinderen said. “[Scott] will be able to formulate a plan and shape up hellip; how that concept evolves.”
Bebe currently operates 15 Bebe Sport stores and 172 Bebe stores.
Scott also is an advantageous fit for Bebe because he was the company’s vice president of merchandising from 1996 to 2000, said Bebe Chairman Manny Mashouf. “With his prior experience at Bebe, Greg has a unique and deep understanding of the company from a cultural as well as an operational point of view,” Mashouf said.
Scott’s career also featured stints as the president of Laundry by Shelli Segal and the senior merchandiser for Ann Taylor.
—Andrew Asch
