Williams-Sonoma announced Monday (June 5) that Alex Bellos, the head of the company’s Rejuvenation and Mark and Graham brands, is succeeding Jim Brett as President of the West Elm brand. In a press release the retailer said effective Monday Brett is resigning from the company to take a position as CEO of J.Crew.
For Bellos, his new appointment at West Elm marks a return to the brand that he first joined in 2008, and at the time reported to Brett. During that first tenure he served as vice president of strategy and development from 2010 to 2013. Under that role, Bellos led strategic projects, real estate expansion and operations, playing a key role in executing strategies that contributed to West Elm’s strong results. Over the last three years, Bellos has been an instrumental leader in expanding Rejuvenation from a small lighting and house parts company into a lifestyle brand for the home, increasing market share and providing quality, value and service to its customers.
“Alex’s deep knowledge of the West Elm brand, combined with his success driving double-digit growth across our newer businesses, make him the right person to continue to advance West Elm’s initiatives and to lead the brand’s tenured team. He is a dynamic leader with deep expertise in brand development, finance and operations, with a strong track record of developing winning strategies, leading change, and driving detailed execution,” said Laura Alber, president and chief executive officer of Williams-Sonoma, in the press release. “On behalf of the board and senior management team, I want to thank Jim for his many contributions to the company. Under his leadership, a talented West Elm team achieved significant growth, and Jim was a strong advocate for the focus on expanding the brand’s range and collaborations with local craft workers and artisan communities around the world.”