Kohl : Q&A with Michelle Gass, Kohl’s CEO – Building on Our Momentum

Michelle Gass assumed the role of Kohl's CEO in May 2018. As CEO, Michelle is responsible for Kohl's long-term growth and profitability, along with the company's strategic direction. We recently sat down with her to hear her vision for the future and building on Kohl's momentum.

1. What are your priorities as CEO?

I've had a few people ask me, now that you're CEO, what will change? Well, first, very little. We're going full steam ahead on executing against the priorities that the leadership team and I were deeply involved in setting, before today. Over time, we will build on that work with an even deeper evolution of our capability to move quickly, try new things, and learn fast to win fast.

Our priorities remain the same - driving traffic and operational excellence. As I look ahead, I'm so excited about the leaps we are making to further connect our omnichannel experience and how we've challenged ourselves as an organization to work smarter, faster and with more impact. We are just getting started.

2. Kohl's recently launched a new pilot loyalty program. What other initiatives are you prioritizing?

We're going through a transformative time in retail, and I believe that Kohl's is uniquely positioned to lead the charge. In the last five years, we've invested to remake Kohl's for a new era and to ensure that we stay ahead among retailers. We will continue to invest in our deep pipeline of initiatives - our omnichannel and technology capabilities, the store experience and portfolio, our new loyalty program and personalization, our inventory management and localization, new brands and categories, our speed to market, and most importantly, our talent. And beyond this, there are many exciting initiatives that are incubating and being contemplated to keep our customers interested and engaged for years to come.

3. What leadership qualities do you hope to continue to foster at Kohl's?

I am deeply committed to ensuring that we foster a culture that lifts our collective ability to thrive in today's and tomorrow's retail environment. We have been able to achieve great things at Kohl's through our balance of innovation and execution, and the future will require more of this. I especially want to embrace our curiosity and our courage as a culture - two qualities that we will need in abundance in a world in which change is the norm.

4. Why will Kohl's win?

What makes Kohl's so special is that we have always stayed true to what matters. We've done this even in times when it was really hard to do so. Our values and our purpose - to inspire and empower families to lead fulfilled lives - are more than words. They have guided every decision that we have made in regaining momentum as a business. And we have forged a powerful balance of innovation and execution, driven by our Greatness Agenda.