Signet Jewelers Limited announced that, after twelve years at the Company, Virginia "Gina" C. Drosos is planning to retire as Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board of Directors (the "Board"), effective November 4, 2024. Following a thoughtful succession planning and search process, the Board has appointed J.K. Symancyk to succeed Drosos as Chief Executive Officer, and he will also join the Board at that time. Following her retirement, Drosos will continue as an advisor through the end of the Company's fiscal year to support a smooth transition.
Symancyk brings over 30 years of retail industry experience across a diverse range of categories and has spent his career in large-scale organizations. Symancyk most recently served for six years as CEO of PetSmart Inc., overseeing a growth plan and accelerating the company's leadership through proprietary brand development, services expansion, loyalty program creation, and digital and supply chain capabilities enhancements. Previously, Symancyk served as CEO of Academy Sports + Outdoors from 2015 to 2018, where he led a return to growth and strategic positioning for the company's initial public offering, refining the merchandise strategy and resetting major infrastructure to support a national omnichannel footprint.
From 2006 to 2015, Symancyk held roles of increasing responsibility at Meijer, a supercenter chain throughout the Midwest, including Group Vice President, EVP Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Operating officer and President. Symancyk began his career with 12 years at Walmart where he held various leadership roles, ultimately serving from 2004 to 2006 as Divisional Merchandise Manager, Sam's Club Division. Symancyk currently is a member of the Retail Industry Leaders Association and serves on the Board of Directors of Bath & Body Works Inc. He previously served as a director at Chewy Inc., from April 2019 to July 2021, and GameStop Corp., from March 2020 to June 2021.
Symancyk graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Symancyk will be based at Signet's offices in Dallas, TX.