Saks Hires New Marketing-Visual Executive

Saks Fifth Avenue (New York) has reportedly created a new chief marketing position and hired Harrods veteran Mark Briggs to fill it.

Women’s Wear Daily reports that the new position includes responsibility for creative, visual merchandising and marketing. Briggs will take over the duties that had previously been held by the former chief marketing officer, Denise Incandela, plus those of Terron Schaefer, former chief creative officer, plus additional responsibilities.

At Harrods in London, Briggs worked closely with Marigay McKee, Saks’ about-to-become president in the new regime of The Hudsons Bay Group (Toronto) . She takes over in February 2014 and Briggs will join in March.

“He is one of the most creative people I have ever met,” McKee told WWD. “He’s exceptionally visual. He has great taste, and more importantly he is a visionary. He puts together amazing collaborations, fantastic visual schemes for the windows, scenes throughout the store, monthly plasma screen strategies, monthly mannequin strategies, promotional sites. The creative strategy, the marketing strategy; it all came from Mark. He made the fantasy happen.”

Last year, Briggs closed the streets of London to celebrate the Queen’s 60th year on the throne and brought dozens of employees outside to sing a rendition of “God Save the Queen.” Every Christmas, said McKee, “there were more reindeer, more snow and more Santas. His job was the most fun in the company.”