Zappos Appoints Scott Schaefer As New CEO
Online footwear retailer Zappos has announced the appointment of company veteran Scott Schaefer as the new chief executive officer (CEO), four months after former head Kedar Deshpande stepped down from the role.
“I am thrilled and honored to continue my journey at Zappos as Chief Executive Officer,” said Schaefer.
“My genuine passion for and deep understanding of our business allows me to get a quick start in creating an unmatched experience for our brand partners, surprising and delighting our customers, continuing our long history of leading compassionately and, as a financier at heart, strengthening our business’s financial position.”
Prior to his appointment, Schaefer served as vice president of finance at Zappos for nearly 14 years. Schaefer has also held finance-related roles at Davenport Wealth Management and Ernst & Young.
Schaefer’s appointment comes nearly two years after the death of former CEO Tony Hsieh, who passed away at the age of 46 after sustaining injuries from a fire that occurred more than a week prior in New London, Connecticut, in 2020.
“It is with very heavy hearts that we are sharing some very sad news with all of you, as we have learned that Tony passed away earlier today (11–27–20),” Deshpande noted in an announcement at the time. “Though Tony retired this past summer, we know what a tremendous impact he has had on both Zappos and on Zapponians, as he has dedicated the past 20 years focusing on the success of both the company and our employees.”
Schaefer’s role is effective immediately and he will be overseeing more than 1,400 employees.
Originally published at https://retailbum.com on April 11, 2022.
