The Children's Place Announces Senior Leadership Appointments

Leadership Changes and Organizational Updates Enhance Ability to Implement Strategic Transformation

Kim Roy joins the Company as Executive Director
Lisa Pillette joins the Company as Chief Customer Officer
Kiera Ganann joined the Company as SVP, Head of Merchandising

SECAUCUS, N.J., Feb. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Children’s Place, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCE), one of the only pure-play children’s specialty retailers in North America, announced a series of leadership appointments and organizational changes that enhance its ability to deliver strong performance under its new operating model.

Muhammad Umair, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We have been diligently focused on implementing a strategic transformation built on a foundation of operational rigor, financial discipline and a superior customer experience. With these appointments, we are confident that our leadership team is well-positioned to deliver and execute on our strategic plan.”

Kim Roy has been appointed Executive Director of the Company, to serve as an executive officer and as a member of the Board of Directors effective March 2, 2026. In this new role, Ms. Roy will be a strategic operating leader, supporting the President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Umair and the leadership team, with a focus on providing strategic direction for the Company and alignment of front-end functions, including Design, Merchandising, Planning and Stores. Senior Leadership Team executives responsible for these functions will be reporting to Ms. Roy. Over the course of her career, Ms. Roy has developed, grown and led several multi-billion dollar brand portfolios. She held various positions of increasing responsibility at Ralph Lauren Corporation, culminating in her position as Group President North America. Prior to that, Ms. Roy served as President of Ann Taylor, Group President at Liz Claiborne, Inc. and SVP General Merchandise Manager at Associated Merchandising Corporation. Ms. Roy has been on the Board of Directors of Chico’s FAS, Inc. and Weight Watchers International, Inc. She is an advisor and former director of Catholic Guardian Services and a graduate of Skidmore College where she serves as a long-standing Board Trustee.

Lisa Pillette will join the Company as Chief Customer Officer, also effective March 2, 2026. Ms. Pillette will lead the front-end Company transformation, including oversight of the strategic direction of the Company’s brands, brand creative and marketing initiatives. Ms. Pillette will serve on the Senior Leadership Team and report to Mr. Umair. Ms. Pillette brings with her years of experience transforming companies through creative consumer marketing and culture-driven design. Previously, Ms. Pillette served as the Global Chief Marketing Officer of Fossil Group and the Chief Marketing Officer of Casper Sleep. Prior to that, she was SVP, Head of Marketing, CRM & Analytics, Americas at Lacoste and Global VP, Marketing Denim & Supply at Ralph Lauren Corporation.

The Company has made several additional senior leadership appointments and organizational updates to strengthen its ability to execute its strategic transformation and help drive revenue growth and profitability. These team members have already made positive contributions to the organization and will work closely with Ms. Roy and Ms. Pillette to continue to strengthen the business and brand positioning.

• Kiera Ganann joined the Company effective December 1, 2025, as SVP, Head of Merchandising. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Ganann served as a Senior Vice President at Delta Galil, where she was the Global GM of Ralph Lauren Intimates and Sleepwear. Prior to that, she led merchandising for Levi's as the Vice President of Merchandising for North and South America and served in several merchandising leadership positions at Ralph Lauren Corporation. 
  
  
• Kristin Clifford, SVP, Head of Sourcing, will take on additional responsibilities as SVP, Head of Sourcing & Product Operations, effective February 24, 2026. In her expanded role, she will also oversee Product Operations, International and Technical Design, in addition to Sourcing.
  
  
• Tiffany Whitford joined the Company effective June 2, 2025, as GVP, Head of Stores. Ms. Whitford continues to focus on reinvigorating our stores and our customers’ in-store experience. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Whitford served as Zone Vice President for Sunglass Hut Northeast at EssilorLuxottica, where she led a business comprising over 400 stores. Prior to that she was Vice President and Head of Sales for MAC Cosmetics North America at Estée Lauder, overseeing locations across the United States and Canada, which followed her tenure at Kate Spade & Company in various roles within their stores’ organization.
  
  
• Effective December 1, 2025, Aleksandra Kinney was promoted to GVP, Head of Global Planning & Inventory, and joined the Senior Leadership Team. Since joining the Company in 2018 as Director, Inventory Management, she has taken on roles of increasing responsibility, most recently overseeing Global Planning & Inventory.
  
  
• Kimberly Ketch will serve as the Company’s new GVP, Head of Design, effective immediately. Ms. Ketch will oversee all design functions across the Company. Ms. Ketch has served in roles of increasing responsibility over her more than 10 years at the Company, most recently as a GVP of Design.
  
  
• Ms. Ganann, Ms. Whitford, Ms. Kinney and Ms. Ketch, who all serve on the Senior Leadership Team, report to Ms. Roy, and Ms. Clifford will now report to Mr. Umair.
  

Mr. Umair continued, “We are pleased to welcome Ms. Roy and Ms. Pillette to our team full-time. Both have been working with the Company in a consulting capacity, which has demonstrated their alignment with and value to the organization and our leadership team, and they share our confidence in the opportunities ahead to rebuild our valuable brands. They bring extensive retail experience, which will be instrumental to our continued transformation and strategic execution. Additionally, since joining our company last year, Ms. Ganann and Ms. Whitford have already delivered positive momentum, and we are looking forward to their continued growth and success. We also want to extend our sincere congratulations to Ms. Clifford, Ms. Kinney and Ms. Ketch for their well-deserved role expansions and promotions. I sincerely look forward to working with each of them as we continue the Company’s re-alignment and long-term business transformation.”

Contact: Investor Relations (201) 558-2400 ext. 14500