Change in leadership at Pacsun
Pacsun is making some changes at the top.
The teen apparel retailer has appointed Brie Olson, Pacsun president and board member, as co-CEO alongside co-CEO Mike Relich, effective March 9. Olson succeeds Alfred Changm who is leaving after 17 years with the company to join Fear of God, a key Pacsun brand partner, as its chief executive officer.
Chang and Relich were named interim co-CEOs of PSEB Group, to co-CEOs in May 2021. Chang will stay on as Pacsun's co-CEO until March 8 to facilitate the transition. He will remain a member of the Pacsun board after joining Fear of God.
Olson has over two decades of experience in the retail industry, including 17 years at Pacsun, where she has served as president since 2021. She introduced Pacsun's first gender-neutral collection, Colour Theory, and spearheaded the company's entry into the kids' category with Pacsun Kids. Olson also leads the company's AI and metaverse initiatives, including activations on Roblox.
[Read More: Pacsun lets customers open metaverse shops on popular gaming platform]
In addition, Olson has overseen the design and execution of multiple successful partnerships at the retailer, including with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Formula 1, Emma Chamberlain and Storm ReidMs.
In her earlier roles at Pacsun, Olson held the titles of chief brand officer, chief merchandising officer and senior VP of merchandising and design.
"As a deeply experienced and highly respected leader, Brie [Olson] is exceptionally qualified to step into the co-CEO role,” stated Neale Attenborough, a managing director at Golden Gate Capital, the private equity firm that owns Pacsun. “Brie has been instrumental in ensuring Pacsun's success with its core audience by being a key figure in innovating and cultivating Pacsun's brand identity.”
“Brie's strong relationships with designers and other Pacsun partners, combined with her keen sense of style, will continue to be strong assets for the company as she steps into her new leadership role alongside Mike,” Attenborough added.
Pacsun operates more than 300 stores nationwide. In October, the retailer opened a new location in its Southern California home market, at Fashion Valley shopping center in San Diego. The store features a modernist look reflecting Pacsun’s new design strategy, which will be featured in upcoming Pacsun stores at Lennox in Atlanta, and Fashion Island in Newport Beach, Calif., as well as others around the country slated to open in 2023.
In a statement, departing co-CEO Change said, “it has been a privilege to help build Pacsun into the brand and company it is today.”
“Looking ahead, I am thrilled to join the Fear of God team, where I will have the opportunity to deepen the strong partnership between Pacsun and Fear of God that we've forged over the past seven years,” he continued.” I also want to congratulate Brie on her well-deserved promotion. I am excited to watch all that she and Mike will accomplish together."