Dive Brief:
- Frederic D. Argir will oversee e-commerce and the Nook e-book business at Barnes & Noble as the new vice president and chief digital officer.
- Argir has held lead e-commerce and digital roles with Toys ‘R’ Us and Sports Authority, as well as positions at Target Corp. and Fingerhut.
- Nook sales dropped 47.9% in fiscal 2015.
Dive Insight:
Barnes & Noble continues to shake up its executive staff with the announcement that Frederic D. Argir will join the company as vice president and chief digital officer. Weeks ago, the bookseller named Ronald Boire its new CEO, effective in September with the spinoff of Barnes & Noble Education, the company’s college bookstore division.
A veteran of several major retailers including Toys ‘R’ Us and Sports Authority, Argir will transition into the lead role for the Nook business, which has seen a precipitous slide over the last several quarters. Rumors say that a new Nook is set for release in September, but speculation that the e-reader’s days are numbered has grown since Barnes & Noble cut international support for the Nook.