American bag and apparel brand Aloha Collection has appointed former Myer executive Lynna Barnard as its new CEO.
This comes a month after Barnard stepped away from her most recent position at Myer as the GM of e-commerce, with her retail experience stretching back nearly 20 years starting as a global group marketing project manager at Cotton On Group before diving into the e-commerce space.
From there, she was the head of e-commerce at Best & Less and at Billabong Group, then shifting over to National Tiles and Dan Murphy’s.
Barnard’s new role at Aloha Collection is her first CEO position. Aloha sells a wide variety of bags, as well as apparel and other accessories.
The brand was founded in 2014 by Rachael Leinaʻala Soares and Heather Aiu, and currently manages several stores across the United States. It is also stocked in retailers globally, including at Rip Curl stores in Australia according to its website.
"Lynna brings extensive experience in the omni-channel landscape and perspective from both the apparel and FMCG industries, having built a reputation of driving sustainable growth,”Aloha Collection co-founder Heather Aiu said.
“But most importantly, Lynna inherently understands our foundation as a mission-driven company with a commitment to give back to our community.”
Co-founder Leina'ala Soares added that Barnard’s appointment comes amid shifting market dynamics and a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
"Lynna's fresh insights and innovative strategies will help Aloha differentiate itself and capitalize on emerging opportunities. Heather and I are excited to welcome her to the Aloha 'Ohana."
Barnard welcomed her new position and revealed her vision for the brand ahead.
"I'm incredibly excited about the opportunities ahead for Aloha Collection, particularly in areas that will drive both growth and long-term sustainability," she said.
"My vision is to lead Aloha Collection into its next phase of growth by balancing innovation with the core values the brand holds sacred. This will allow us to create sustainable and profitable outcomes, with a focus on giving back through our Mālama 'Āina program."
With the installation of Barnard as CEO, the brand’s co-founders will continue to creatively drive new product development while also spending more time actively engaging with the Aloha community.