Kohl’s Names Michael Bender as CEO

Kohl's hires Michael J. Bender as full-time CEO, which is enhancing its control and speeding up the retail transformation plan.

Kohl's Corporation has officially appointed Michael J. Bender as its new CEO, reaffirming its loyalty to his leadership following his appointment as interim CEO in May 2025. Bender will also continue to serve on the board of the company, where he has been a director since 2019.

Bender comes with over 30 years of experience in the leadership of major retail and consumer brands. He worked as the Chief Executive Officer of Eyemart Express before joining Kohl on top and was the Chief Operating Officer of Global eCommerce and the President of the Walmart West division in addition to other significant executive roles at Walmart. His previous experiences of leadership with Cardinal Health, Victoria Secret and PepsiCo at L Brands also enhanced his operational and strategic skills.

John Schlifske, the board chair at Kohl, complimented Bender on his interim results since he has managed to turn them around, strategize, and lead cultural transfer. After a long executive search, the Board unanimously chose Bender to become a permanent CEO, mentioning his strong attachment to the Kohl's brand.

Bender also said that he is delighted to assume the role and believes in the future of the company. He focused on the heritage of Kohl's in the retail space and underlined the intentions to speed up the change and improve customer services and work in cooperation with the partners and associates across the country.

Kohl's appointment will enable it to strengthen its leadership position and spur long-term growth.