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    Executives on the Move: TikTok looks to Disney, Patagonia moves ahead

    June 26, 2020

    It’s official: America is in a recession. But that hasn’t stopped everyone from moving onward and upward. Many C-suite executives are landing new positions, while others are seizing a golden opportunity to close out a successful career. 

    We’ve had our eye on those comings and goings. Here are some of the latest changes in the corporate world.

    TikTok hires Disney executive as CEO 

    For Kevin Mayer, it’s a whole new world. 

    Screen Shot 2020-06-25 at 9.19.31 PMThe longtime Disney executive was named CEO of the video-sharing app TikTok, effective June 1. Mayer was also named COO of parent company ByteDance. 

    Mayer was considered Disney’s top streaming executive and had a role in launching Disney+. He also helped the company acquire big media names such as 21st Century Fox, Pixar and Marvel. Apart from a five-year gap in which he served as CEO of Playboy.com, Mayer had been with Disney since 1993 and was known in company circles as “Buzz Lightyear” for his uncanny resemblance to the Toy Story character. 

    The hire comes at a time when TikTok is seeking to establish credibility. The Chinese app quickly found a foothold with young users after becoming available worldwide in 2018. Since then, it has come under scrutiny for censorship and privacy issues. 

    UPS finds CEO with retail tools

    Carol Tome UPSIt’s a weird time for global supply chains. With a lingering pandemic, a recession and trade tensions on the rise, shipping giant UPS is in a precarious position. Enter Carol Tomé, new CEO. 

    Tomé, who started in June, most recently served as Executive VP and CFO at The Home Depot, a post she held from 2001 to 2019. She has been a member of the UPS board of directors since 2003. She replaces outgoing CEO David Abney

    Tomé’s retail experience is expected to help UPS navigate the recession and adapt to a love/hate relationship with Amazon. She has been featured as one of Fortune magazine’s Most Powerful Women. 

    Patagonia CEO steps down 

    patagonia logoPatagonia has long been known as a company with a purpose. Its commitment to activism is as much a hallmark of its brand as its apparel.

    Now, someone else will lead the charge. CEO Rose Marcario has resigned as of June 10. Marcario’s tenure with Patagonia proved indelible for the company. In her seven years at the helm, the company quadrupled sales and created a venture capital fund to support environmentally conscious companies. 

    The change has reportedly been in the works since late 2019. A permanent replacement has not been named, but COO Doug Freeman is expected to oversee the transition.

    In the meantime, the activism has continued. Patagonia announced it would forgo advertising on Facebook in July as a part of the Stop Hate for Profit campaign. 

    More executives on the move…
    • Michael Colleran is now SVP, Marketing & Sales and Corporate Officer, Nissan North America, Inc., Nissan Motor Company Limited.
    • Samson David is now CEO, Soroco Americas Private Limited.
    • Christopher Dunn is now SVP and Head, Marketing & Communications, Entertainment Partners, L.P.
    • Jay Geldmacher is now President and CEO, Resideo Technologies, Inc.
    • Nicholas Grierson is now CIO, Global Salesforce and UK Channels, Barclays Bank PLC.
    • Yvonne Hodge is now SVP, Enterprise Business Transformation, Lockheed Martin Corporation.
    • Regine Lawton is now CIO, AeroVironment, Inc.
    • Siva Pothi is now Executive Director and General Manager, IT, DXC Technology Company.
    • Gregory Seibly is now President, Union Bank and Head, Regional Banking, MUFG Union Bank, N.A.
    • David Swift is now Vice President and Co-Lead, Americas, DXC Technology Company.
    • Jean-Michel Valentin is now Global Head, Production Security, BNP Paribas.
    • Coram Williams is now CFO, Adecco Group.

    Each executive featured here has an in-depth profile available in the Boardroom Insiders platform. Not a customer? Click here to learn more.

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    Sharon Gillenwater

    About the Author

    Sharon Gillenwater

    Sharon Gillenwater is the founder and editor-in-chief of Boardroom Insiders, which maintains an extensive database of the most in-depth executive profiles on the market, from Fortune 500 companies to independent non-profits, to help sales and marketing professionals build deeper relationships and close more deals with clients. Gillenwater is a long-time marketing consultant with expertise in marketing strategy, account-based marketing, and CXO engagement programs.