Macy’s Inc. has announced the resignation of president Hal Lawton, effective Friday.
After two years on the job, Lawton will be leaving the retail giant to take the helm at Tractor Supply Co. on Jan. 13, succeeding CEO Greg Sandfort.
Prior to joining Macy’s in September 2017, Lawton served as SVP of North America at eBay Inc. The department store chain has yet to name a successor.
“Hal has made significant contributions to the business over the past two years, including improving the Macy’s operational cadence,” said chairman and CEO Jeff Gennette. “Hal also helped us build an excellent team, and with their leadership, I’m confident that Macy’s will continue strong execution through holiday 2019 and beyond.”
The leadership change comes amid the crucial holiday shopping season and broader challenges in the retail landscape.
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In its third-quarter earnings report posted Nov. 21, Macy’s logged its first same-store sales decline in two years and slashed its guidance for the full year.
The Cincinnati-based firm blamed the disappointing results on the warmer fall season coupled with slowing foot traffic, amid a broader shift from brick-and-mortar to online retail. In the past few months, Macy’s has been investing more resources in its e-commerce mobile app, which it said is on track to exceed the goal of $1.5 billion in sales, as well as enhancing its website to promote online sales and drive in-store visits.
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