Dive Brief:
- Victoria’s Secret & Co. is ushering in new tech leadership in CTO Adrian Butler, the company acknowledged in a press release Thursday. Butler joins the company from Foot Locker, where he held the same title.
- At Foot Locker, Butler supported the company through a long-term growth strategy called Lace Up. He’s previously held leadership roles at Target and Dine Brands Global, parent company to Applebee’s and IHOP.
- The company also added Gerri Martin-Flickinger, who previously served as CTO at Starbucks, to its board of directors. The two appointments reflect the company’s "commitment to evolving its leadership, governance, and technology expertise in support of its strategic priorities and long-term growth,” said Board Chair Donna James.
Dive Insight:
The tech leadership appointments at Victoria’s Secret follow a period of transition in board leadership for the lingerie retailer.
Less than a month before the annual shareholder meeting, board director Mariam Naficy said she would not seek reelection, following a proxy battle waged by activist investor group BBRC. Martin-Flickinger will join the board as Naficy’s replacement after a “comprehensive search” beginning in May, that was conducted with an executive search firm.
CEO Hillary Super declared the company was in “growth mode” last year following a 3% rise in sales. In June, the company released a better-than-expected Q1 performance and began trading under its new stock ticker, VSXY.
Martin-Flickinger’s expertise in technology, AI, digital commerce and consumer retail will help the company align with its Path to Potential strategy to revive sales, sharpen brand identity and capture younger customers, James said.
Victoria’s Secret declined to provide further comment on the company's technology goals or incoming leadership in an email to sister publication CIO Dive.
Retailers are turning to technology to improve customer experience, enhance decision-making and personalize shopping. Within the lingerie vertical, direct-to-consumer brand Adore Me (which is owned by Victoria’s Secret) launched a generative AI-powered custom design tool in 2024 that allowed consumers to create their own customized undergarments.
In the wider retail sector, Best Buy, Gap, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Walmart have all implemented AI into their internal workflows and customer experiences. Investment into the technology within the retail sector is steadily increasing — 39% of retailers said they anticipate AI will account for more than 10% of their tech spend by 2028, a December 2025 National Retail Federation report found.
