The search is over. Harvey Nichols has found a new chief executive officer, and she comes from Alexander McQueen.
Julia Goddard, current EMEA president at the Kering-owned luxury house, will join the upmarket department store chain in June, taking over the responsibilities from interim CEO Pearson Poon, son of Harvey Nichols’ owner, Hong Kong property tycoon Dickson Poon.
Manju Malhotra, former chief executive officer at Harvey Nichols, stepped down at the end of 2023 after working for the company for 25 years.
Goddard has worked at McQueen for the past 14 years. In her latest role as EMEA region president from 2019 to 2024, she expanded the brand’s wholesale, retail and e-concession channels, which included flagships in cities such as London, Paris, Milan, Rome, Dubai, Kuwait and Qatar with a focus on clienteling and VIPs.
Before that, she worked as the worldwide wholesale, franchise and e-concession director at McQueen. Prior to McQueen, Goddard held various potions at Jasmine Di Milo, Aquascutum and Juicy Couture.
Commenting on her new role, Dickson Poon and Pearson Poon said: “Goddard is a dynamic business leader with a strong track record of delivering quality growth and successfully developing and executing a very important customer clienteling strategy. Her expertise and strategic capabilities will be invaluable in delivering long-term sustainable growth for Harvey Nichols.”
“The opportunities that exist within this iconic brand fill me with excitement and enthusiasm. I very much look forward to working with the team to accelerate growth and strengthen the position of Harvey Nichols,” Goddard added.
Goddard’s successor at McQueen has not yet been named.
