David Lerner Email & Phone Number

- Setting and tracking of corporate and brand level profitability goals; identifying opportunities for ROI improvement, and guide strategic go-forward business planning- Driving corporate budget planning process to deliver assortment planning profitability analysis, inventory investment projections, and new category growth opportunities- Partnering on inventory and purchase planning processes to deliver savings across inventory management cycle

- Lead the merchandising & marketing team for Horizon's Kids Crafts business division, driving sales and margin with innovative products and optimized distribution strategies, pricing, and packaging- Deliver strong top line sales and gross margin improvements every year- Lead the creation of product assortments that include multiple industry award winning products- Direct creation of compelling marketing and sales support materials- Work directly with buyers to present new items/collections, review business, and develop strong assortments and pipeline- Perform global, market, and trend analyses to identify new product opportunities, concepts, and threats- Create and lead task forces on company-wide and division-specific process improvements that have significantly sped up cycle times and decreased costs- Partner with digital & PR teams on development of social & digital strategy, eCommerce initiatives, and media & blogger relationships

Greater New York City Area

Greater New York City Area

- Developed and executed global category strategy for Jewelry and Watches divisions, including both catalog and online assortments, with an annual volume of $125MM- Led team of six managers and professionals responsible for marketplace analysis, assortment planning, pricing, sourcing, branding, and messaging- Executed consumer insight research including focus groups, online panel research, and quantitative concept testing- Conceived and implemented a new pricing strategy that delivered a 28% increase in sku productivity- Reduced number of skus by 25% and excess inventory by 12%, while beating growth projections- Built and managed key license partnerships with Fortune 500 companies and nationally recognized brands

Greater New York City Area

- Full P&L responsibility for $170MM division including handbags, watches, jewelry, and accessories brands- Managed team of 12 professionals responsible for category strategy, competitive analysis, product development, sourcing, branding, and merchandising- Crafted short and long-term divisional-level strategies based on identifying growth opportunities and risks within each segment, consistently exceeding sales and margin objectives by 5 – 10% annually- Managed all factory cost negotiations, delivering cost and margin improvements in 12 consecutive quarters- Launched Jennifer Lopez Accessories collection, delivering sustained double digit growth and high margins- Developed and managed partnerships with many of China’s largest producers in covered categories, including extensive overseas work on product development, production, factory evaluation, and contract negotiation- Launched highly successful Preferred Supplier Certification program, successfully reducing development costs, lead times, and product costs, while improving quality and reliability- Trained and developed China team of professionals responsible for product development, sourcing, and vendor management- Led process excellence team in highly effective business transformation process

Greater New York City Area

- Created new division with full P&L and product development responsibility for highly successful expansion of Kipling's luggage portfolio in North America, delivering >40% growth in each year post-launch- Partnered with global cross-functional team to develop product concepts, key items, promotional strategies, and store assortments- Managed commercialization process from research through development, sourcing, production, marketing, and distribution- Collaborated with agency partners on advertising and PR for launch of new product lines and celebrity brands

Greater New York City Area

Greater New York City Area