New Leadership at Conshohocken-Based David’s Bridal

Conshohocken-based David’s Bridal recently announced executive leadership changes and the appointment of a Strategic Advisor to position the company. The company recently emerged out of bankruptcy.

The Board announced that Tom Lynch has been appointed interim Chief Executive Officer and Curt Kroll has been appointed as interim Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Lynch and Mr. Kroll succeed former CEO Scott Key and former CFO Joan Hilson, who have stepped down from their roles at the Company.  Jeffrey Zelenko has joined the Company as a Strategic Advisor.     

Mr. Lynch and Mr. Kroll are experienced executives with significant retail experience. Mr. Lynch served as the Chairman and CEO of Frederick’s of Hollywood. Mr. Kroll was most recently interim Chief Revenue Officer and CFO at National Stores, and has held executive leadership and financial roles in the retail and manufacturing industry.  

“We are pleased to welcome Tom and Curt to David’s Bridal,” said Christine Pope, Board Chair of David’s Bridal and a Senior Vice President at Oaktree Capital Management.  “Tom and Curt both have significant experience and valuable skills leading transformations and positioning retail and other businesses for growth.  We look forward to their contributions to this extraordinary Company and team of committed individuals.”

“I am thrilled to take on this important role alongside the talented and driven team at David’s Bridal,” said Lynch. “With the oversight and support of our world-class Board of Directors, David’s Bridal is beginning an exciting chapter of transformation, and I look forward to leveraging my experience to return this iconic business to its position as the clear leader in the bridal industry.”

Mr. Kroll said, “David’s Bridal is the premier bridal retailer in the U.S., and I am delighted to have the opportunity to work alongside Tom and the rest of the team to further strengthen the financial foundation of this business as we drive a transition focused on long-term growth and success for the Company.”

Jeffrey Zelenko has over 20 years of experience in the bridal industry and as a Strategic Advisor will provide in-depth advice and insights to the management team and the Board of the Company.

David’s Bridal also provided an update on its Board of Directors, which is now comprised of six new members, all of whom are professionals with significant experience across specialty and omni-channel retail, finance and branding.

The Board is comprised of Christine Pope, Board Chair of David’s Bridal and Senior Vice President at Oaktree Capital; Christine Barton, Senior Partner & Managing Director at Boston Consulting Group; Venita Fields, Partner of Pelham S2K and a member of the Pelham S2K Investment Committee; Jeff Kuster, Group President, North America at Ralph Lauren Corp.; Katherine Rice, a senior executive in the consumer and omni-channel retail industries; and Ilana Stern, an entrepreneur, lecturer in entrepreneurship at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the founder and former-CEO of Weddington Way.