Luxury fashion and retail veteran Geoffroy van Raemdonck has been appointed as the CEO of US giant Neiman Marcus, following the retirement of incumbent chief Karen Katz.

Katz will step down from the role of president and chief executive officer in February but will  continue to serve on the company’s board of directors.

Neiman Marcus said the appointment was part of a long-term leadership succession planning process.

“As CEO, Karen helped establish Neiman Marcus as a digital leader in luxury fashion and retail and put the company on a path for long-term growth,” said David Kaplan, chairman of the board. “We are extremely grateful for her vision and significant contributions, which have spanned over 30 years at the company, including the last seven as CEO, and look forward to continuing our work together on the board

Van Raemdonck has previously served as group president for EMEA and global travel retail at Ralph Lauren and as CEO at St. John Knits International, Inc., plus a variety of global leadership roles at Louis Vuitton from 2008 to 2013

The retailer said Katz led the implementation of the company’s digital first strategy, with the company’s online business representing over 30 per cent of total revenues.

“Neiman Marcus manages one of the most iconic brand portfolios in fashion retailing, and I am excited to build on the great foundation Karen created during her tenure,” said van Raemdonck.

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