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Erica Berchtold, the former CEO of collapsed retail group Mosaic Brands, has landed a new role as chief operations officer of David Jones with the position specially created for the seasoned retail executive.
David Jones says Berchtold will assume the role on 2 June 2025, eight months after Mosaic Brands was placed into administration.
Berchtold will be responsible for David Jones’ Merchandise and Supply Chain divisions, bringing the teams together to drive the department store group’s Vision 2025+ strategy which aims to transform the company into a more integrated and digital omnichannel retailer.
As COO, Berchtold will also lead the group’s merchandise strategy while developing and implementing the group’s value chain transformation program, a multi-year strategic plan intended to streamline how David Jones buys, distributes, and sells products to its customers.
David Jones CEO Scott Fyfe says the new role will support the group’s plan to deliver “long-term, sustainable and future-focused growth”.
“This appointment further strengthens the executive leadership team, enhancing our capabilities as we advance into the next chapter of our strategy,” he says.
“The strategic realignment merges two powerhouse areas of the business - Merchandise and Supply Chain - that are critical to driving transformation, evolving our offering as Australia’s leading omnichannel retailer, and delivering on the needs of our David Jones customers well into the future.”
Berchtold brings more than 20 years of executive experience in Australian retail including as CEO of The Iconic, where she drove strategic growth and digital acceleration over four years, managing director of Rebel Sport, where she led the strategy development and growth of the business for Super Retail Group (ASX: SUL) and most recently as CEO of Mosaic Brands.
David Jones says Berchtold has a proven track record in business transformation and growth, with expertise spanning the entire retail value chain, from merchandising and operations to supply chain, technology and digital innovation.
“I’m thrilled to be joining David Jones at such a pivotal time, as the retail landscape presents significant opportunities for evolution and growth,” says Berchtold.
“This newly created role offers an exciting opportunity to leverage my experience and collaborate with the team to challenge convention and future-proof our Merchandise and Supply Chain strategy.
“With a portfolio of leading brands, an exceptional store network, and a digital platform poised for accelerated growth, there is immense potential that lies ahead. I am looking forward to making significant and lasting contributions to this iconic retail business.”
In a personal post on LinkedIn earlier this year, Berchtold described Australian retail as her “home for over 20 years”, adding that she had been grateful for the messages of support she received since the collapse of Mosaic Brands.
At the time that administrators were appointed, Mosaic Brands was operating about 700 women’s fashion stores in Australia and New Zealand, including high-profile brands such as Millers, Noni B, Rivers, Katies, Rockmans, Autograph and W.Lane.
Mosaic Brands collapsed after struggling for years under the weight of a weak financial performance, the rise of online retail and changing consumer preferences.
However, Berchtold said in her LinkedIn post that the world of insolvency practitioners had been “quite eye opening” for her, with the experience reinforcing in her that the “relationship between excellent financial results, discipline and ethics needs to be strong and needn't be mutually exclusive”.
Berchtold only landed the CEO position at Mosaic Brands in February last year after Best & Less scrapped plans to appoint her as CEO in the wake of a successful takeover bid from Brett Blundy and Ray Itaoui.
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