Marketing executive, Birdy Grey, earns a new position as the company's inaugural Chief Marketing Officer.
## Major Retail Companies Appoint New CMOs in Mid-2025
In the retail industry, the role of the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) is crucial for driving brand growth and customer engagement. Several major retail companies have recently appointed new CMOs, as detailed in the following summary:
### PPAI (Promotional Products Association International) Melissa Ralston has been appointed as the first CMO for PPAI, a newly created position aimed at aligning marketing, media, and member advocacy functions to elevate the promotional products industry. Ralston, a former industry executive and board member, transitions to this role after consulting for PPAI for several months.
### Peloton Megan Imbres is Peloton’s new CMO, succeeding Lauren Weinberg, who departed amid company restructuring. Imbres was previously a managing director on Apple’s marketing communications team, overseeing high-profile campaigns and partnerships. She brings extensive experience in technology and entertainment marketing to Peloton, where she will lead global brand, product, growth marketing, and consumer insights.
### Rack Room Shoes Molly Hartney, previously CMO since 2021, has been promoted to Chief Digital Officer as part of a strategic realignment at Rack Room Shoes. As of July 2025, there is no information about a new CMO appointment at the company; Hartney’s prior CMO responsibilities are now integrated with her digital leadership role.
### Other Notable Mentions - Shimona Chadha has joined Persistent as Chief Marketing Officer, focusing on global marketing strategy and brand strengthening. Persistent is primarily a technology services company, not a retailer. - Karen Ong has been named CMO at Universal Robina Corporation (URC), a multinational food and beverage company, but the article does not specify a retail context.
## Summary Table
| Company | CMO Name | Appointment Date | Notes | |----------------------------|------------------|-----------------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | PPAI | Melissa Ralston | July 2025 | First CMO for the association; oversees marketing/media | | Peloton | Megan Imbres | July 2025 | Succeeds Lauren Weinberg; tech/entertainment marketing exp. | | Rack Room Shoes | (Previous: Molly Hartney) | N/A | CMO promoted to Chief Digital Officer; no new CMO named |
## Birdy Grey Appoints Tanya Hersh as CMO
Direct-to-consumer bridal brand Birdy Grey has appointed Tanya Hersh as its first Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Hersh, who most recently served as vice president of consumer marketing at Amazon aggregator Boosted Commerce, will focus on acquisition, customer engagement, 360 marketing campaigns, and brand-building as the company scales. Grace Lee, co-founder and CEO of Birdy Grey, stated that Hersh is an accomplished marketer with proven experience building and scaling brands.
Other retailers that have tapped new executives for the CMO role this year include Target, Levi's, Sephora, and Macy's. Macy's has appointed Sharon Otterman as its new CMO, while Eloquii co-founder Steve Zawada exited the role of COO after just four months. Wayfair and Birdy Grey have also appointed new CMOs and COOs, respectively, in recent months. Liyan Shen was appointed as Birdy Grey’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in 2022.
- The new CMO at Birdy Grey, Tanya Hersh, brings her experience from Amazon aggregator Boosted Commerce to focus on acquisition, customer engagement, and brand-building as the company scales.
- As technology continues to evolve, companies in various industries, such as Birdy Grey, are looking to AI and updates in technology to drive growth and innovation in their marketing strategies.
- The appointment of Tanya Hersh as CMO at Birdy Grey signifies a shift in focus towards careers in technology and marketing for finance and business professionals like her.
