to CFO in December. The final puzzle pieces fell into place last week with the appointment of Larry Luk as chief digital and marketing officer and the official appointment of Pak as CEO.  “We have now laid the foundation to breathe new life into our brand. Under our new collective vision, the team will tap into our wealth of experience as we journey into a new era of growth,” Pak, a seasoned business leader, said.  Prior to joining Esprit, Luk held senior roles at L’Oreal and Calvin Klein, and Langill previously worked at Adidas. Pak said the team would work closely together to create “sublime” products that not only make customers feel good and look good but are also sustainable and consciously sourced. They would also work with Leif Erichson, president of Esprit Europe, he said, to launch a business strategy where products and experiences are reinvigorated and delivered through a new omnichannel ecosystem with more touchpoints.  While Esprit has struggled in recent years, the brand said that it posted a profit in the first half of 2021, the first time it has done so since 2017.  “I am thrilled to have the full team aboard, which signifies we are going full speed ahead with our highly-anticipated comeback,” Pak said. HanesBrands president of global activewear departs  HanesBrands, the parent company of global retail brands, such as Champion, Hanes, Bonds, Bras N Things, and Playtex, has announced that Jon Ram, its president of global activewear, is departing the business for a role at another company effective 31 March.  “I want to thank Jon for everything he has done to build our global Champion business since joining the company in 2018, and I wish him all the best in his new role,” said Steve Bratspies, CEO of HanesBrands.  “Jon has helped get us off to a strong start in growing Champion as part of our Full Potential plan. We have an outstanding team in place, and I am confident that we will continue to deliver strong growth in this iconic brand as we execute our plan and reach our Full Potential targets.” HanesBrands said Ram was leaving to be closer to his family. The company is conducting an internal and external search for a successor. Starbucks CEO retires, Schultz returns to the helm Starbucks says its president and CEO Kevin Johnson will retire after 13 years, with the company and founder Howard Schultz stepping in as interim CEO from 4 April, while the company seeks a permanent replacement. Johnson, who was named president in 2017, will act as a special consultant to the company until September and return to the company’s board. “A year ago, I signalled to the board that as the global pandemic neared an end, I would be considering retirement from Starbucks. I feel this is a natural bookend to my 13 years with the company,” he said in a statement. During his tenure, Johnson launched the People Positive, Planet Positive and Profit Positive framework and expanded the company’s reach through its Global Coffee Alliance with Nestle, which operates in nearly 80 markets. He also scaled Starbucks’ industry-leading digital offering spanning nearly 45 million rewards members in the US and China. Meanwhile, Schultz said that while he does not plan to return to Starbucks, he knows the company must transform once again “to meet a new and exciting future where all of our stakeholders mutually flourish”. Schultz will be paid just $1 for his interim role: “When you love something, you have a deep sense of responsibility to help when called.”