Richard Dickson, president and chief operating officer of Mattel, has been elected to the board of Gap Inc.
Dickson, a veteran of Bloomingdale’s, The Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. and the former Jones Group, brings expertise in fashion, beauty, toys and collectibles. At Mattel, based in El Segundo, California, he leads a portfolio of brands that oversee innovation, strategy, design and development.
Under her leadership, the company launched the Mattel Playbook, a branding approach that has been instrumental in driving the growth of Barbie and Hot Wheels.
It also launched Mattel Creations, a division to develop co-branded products and limited-edition capsule collections with fashion designers, entertainment properties and artists. The brand has collaborated with Gucci, The Hundreds, Herschel, “The Shining” and many more. On October 19, Mattel Creations released Masters of the Universe c/o Virgil Abloh “Toy”.
“Richard’s many years of experience growing, acquiring and revitalizing well-known brands will add valuable perspective to the board as we look to strengthen Gap Inc.’s purpose-driven portfolio and return our brands to consistent growth.” and sustainable,” Bobby Martin, interim CEO and CEO of Gap Inc., in a statement.
“I am delighted to have a role in writing the next chapter for Gap Inc. as a member of its board and to play a part in unlocking the tremendous potential in its portfolio of iconic brands,” added Dickson.
Gap Inc. has been navigating rough waters in recent months, with the departure of chairman and CEO Sonia Syngal, the collapse of its Yeezy Gap strategy and the elimination of 500 jobs at its corporate headquarters. The specialty retailer fell into the red in the second quarter and is due to report third-quarter results on November 17.