Former H&M US president joins Forever 21 as its new CEO

Authentic Brands Group (ABG) has appointed former H&M US president Daniel Kulle as the new CEO of Forever 21.

ABG called Kulle a “visionary, dynamic, and inspirational executive” with over 20 years of experience coaching top teams and driving growth in the highly competitive fashion industry. He was most recently a strategic advisor to former H&M Group CEO Karl-Johan Persson and a steering group member for three new digital startups within H&M Group.

Throughout his two-decade-long tenure at H&M, Kulle expanded the Swedish fast fashion retailers’ bricks-and-motor and e-commerce presence in existing and new markets across North America.

Under Kulle’s leadership, H&M North American sales grew from $1bn (£771.9bn) to $4bn (£3.08bn) annually, and he opened 600 stores as well as developed integrated ecommerce platforms in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

Jamie Salter, founder, chairman, and CEO of ABG, said: “Daniel is a well-respected, progressive fashion executive, and we are thrilled to welcome him to the team.”

As CEO of Forever 21, ABG said Kulle will leverage his “vast digital expertise” to modernise the brand’s content and social media strategies. He will also work with the brand’s leadership to evolve Forever 21’s sustainability initiatives.

There will also be a strategic focus on re-energising core product categories, and integrating those offerings into the Forever 21 shopping experience both in-store and online.

Kulle added: “Forever 21 enjoys strong brand awareness and affinity, a clear consumer set, and quick-to-market capabilities, allowing the brand to be nimble and leverage key trends and create strong value for its customers.

“The strong ownership structure, which combines ABG’s marketing prowess with Simon and Brookfield’s retail real estate expertise, creates a foundation for long-term growth.”

Kulle will be relocating from New York to Los Angeles, where he will take the helm at Forever 21’s west coast headquarters.