Staples Switches Up Leadership

While a possible merger with rival Office Depot remains in limbo, Staples is shuffling top employees to prepare for the resignation of its president of North American stores and online. Shira Goodman, president of the retailer's North American commercial business, was promoted to president of North American operations. As part of the expanded role, Goodman gains responsibility for the chain's business-to-business, online and retail efforts across the U.S. and Canada. Goodman joined Staples in 1992 and has served in senior marketing, human resources and operations-related roles at the company.Demos Parneros, the president of North American stores and online for nearly 14 years and a company veteran for twice that long, will resign from the company effective March 31. Otis Pannell, senior vice president of U.S. retail operations, will oversee all U.S. Staples retail activity, reporting to Goodman. Pannell joined Staples in 1989, and has held a number of retail leadership positions across the U.S.“We are streamlining the organization and building a simplified structure that will speed decision-making and enable us to focus on driving profitable growth,” said Ron Sargent, Staples chief executive officer, in a media release. “These changes will help us compete in a rapidly evolving marketplace, either as a standalone company or in combination with Office Depot.” According to various unconfirmed reports, Staples concurrently laid off hundreds of corporate employees.As part of the personnel changes, John Wilson, Staples Europe president, is now president of international operations and transformation. Wilson served as chief financial officer of Staples from 1992 to 1996, later rejoining the company in 2012.“[Wilson, Goodman and Pannell] have deep knowledge of Staples, and I’m very excited to work with them in their new roles as we position Staples for the future,” Sargent said in the release. “I want to thank Demos for all he has done to help build Staples. Over nearly 30 years, he has played a significant role in making Staples the leader in our industry, touching countless people and developing many of our strongest leaders and associates. I will miss working with him as a valued colleague."Staples and Office Depot moved the deadline for their merger agreement from Feb. 4 to May 16 in hopes the extension will give them time to fight opposition from U.S. antitrust regulators, though analysts speculate the layoffs indicate Staples is preparing for the likelihood of the merger not winning regulatory approval.

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