J.Jill names Courtney O’Connor as chief merchandising officer

US brand J.Jill has appointed Courtney O’Connor as senior vice president, chief merchandising officer. O’Connor, who will step into the role from June 30, will succeed Shelley Liebsch, who is exiting the company “to pursue other opportunities”.

O’Connor joins the lifestyle label from Club Monaco, where she most recently served in the same title and was credited with supporting the launch of new initiatives and optimising the company’s production cycle.

Prior to this, she held leadership roles at Public Clothing Company and Ralph Lauren. At the latter, she was tasked with managing global merchandising for women’s apparel and accessories. O’Connor has also held buying and merchandising roles at J.Crew, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.

Bringing to J.Jill 20 years of experience in the global lifestyle and luxury sectors, O’Connor was deemed by the brand’s CEO and president, Mary Ellen Coyne, as a “seasoned merchant”. Coyne added: “As we take steps to enhance the J.Jill assortment and execute toward our next chapter for growth, I am thrilled to have Courtney join the team.”

O’Connor’s appointment comes shortly after Coyne took the helm of the retailer back in May, hinting at a leadership reshuffle unfolding at the company ahead of future plans. At the time of Coyne joining, chairman of the J.Jill board, Michael Rahamim, noted Coyne’s experience in building and scaling businesses and enhancing shareholder value as core reasons for her appointment.