What Will Cheryl Han Bring As Marketing Lead of Saks Global

Saks Global created a Chief Marketing and Digital Officer role and appointed Cheryl Han to this newly established position as the company undergoes restructuring following its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing on 15 January 2026.

According to Saks Global, marketing and digital capabilities are "vital" to building loyalty and delivering personalised experiences.

The luxury retail entity, formed through the 2024 merger of Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, has secured US$1.75bn in financing to support its restructure after facing liquidity issues, vendor payment delays and declining sales.

Marketing's elevated role in business recovery

Cheryl's remit extends beyond traditional marketing boundaries. She will oversee end-to-end marketing strategy and execution, encompassing customer engagement, messaging and data-driven insights.

In a LinkedIn post discussing her appointment, Cheryl emphasised the strategic importance of her disciplines. "Digital and marketing play an important role in achieving our goals, and I look forward to activating these disciplines to build loyalty and deliver integrated retail experiences that are tailored for each customer and how they choose to engage with us," she explained.

Saks Global works to serve luxury customers, deepen brand partnerships and drive full-price selling across channels.

Experience in luxury customer strategy

Cheryl brings substantial credentials in luxury retail marketing and digital transformation. Her professional journey began in 2004 as an ecommerce marketing manager, followed by a role as Marketing Manager at Clarins in 2007.

By 2017, she had moved into consultancy at Neiman Marcus Group, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Her trajectory accelerated at luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman, where she joined as a consultant in 2018 before advancing through VP of Online, VP of Online and Customer, and SVP of Online and Customer Strategy.

She subsequently served as Chief Digital Officer and Head of Customer Strategy before transitioning to Neiman Marcus Group in 2024 as Chief Digital Officer and SVP of Customer Strategy.

In July 2025, Cheryl reflected on her contribution to the companies' union. "What began as Neiman Marcus, expanded to Bergdorf Goodman, and evolved into an enterprise role at Neiman Marcus Group ultimately led to one of the most significant milestones of my career: bringing together three iconic brands - Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks - and helping shape the formation of Saks Global's Digital pillar to deliver a bold new vision for personalised luxury," she said.

Strategic alignment under new leadership

Cheryl reports directly to Darcy Penick, who joined in January as President and Chief Commercial Officer. Darcy oversees Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus Stores, Marketing, Buying, Digital, Analytics and Customer care.

"This is a pivotal moment for the company, and I'm energised by the opportunity to help lead through a meaningful transformation while building for the future," Darcy shared at the time of her appointment, emphasising the focus on elevating customer experience and strengthening the commercial foundation.

The leadership restructure also includes Geoffroy van Raemdonck, who became CEO on 14 January 2026 following the departure of Marc Metrick. Geoffroy previously served as CEO of Neiman Marcus Group prior to the 2024 acquisition. He succeeded interim CEO Richard Baker, who held the position for just under two weeks.

In a LinkedIn post, Geoffroy says: "We are building a stronger, more resilient Saks Global by taking decisive steps that will have the greatest impact on our business.

"This approach positions us for long-term leadership in luxury retail in service of our partners and customers, and Cheryl Han's appointment reflects our continued focus on strengthening our core capabilities."