Bonobos Co-Founder Andy Dunn Returns as Brand Advisor Post-Walmart Sale — Retail Bum

Bonobos’ new parent company WHP Global is seeking to take the company back to its original roots with the hiring of Bonobos co-founder Andy Dunn as a brand advisor.

Dunn, reporting to WHP Global’s CEO Yehuda Shmidman, will closely collaborate with Bonobos President John Hutchison and Express Inc. CEO Tim Baxter.

In April 2023, WHP Global and Express Inc., the operator of the Express brand, completed the acquisition of Bonobos from Walmart in a $75 million deal.

Walmart initially purchased Bonobos in 2017 for $310 million as part of its efforts to expand its online presence under the leadership of former eCommerce president Marc Lore.

The transaction between WHP Global, Express Inc., and Walmart was successfully concluded last month.

Shmidman told CNBC that WHP Global has no intentions of altering the essence of Bonobos and emphasized that the decision to bring back Dunn is a strategic step in aligning the brand with its fundamental identity.

“It’s very important to know that we’re not changing. In fact, if anything, we’re doubling down on that very same DNA that made Bonobos successful in the first place,” said Shmidman.