HanesBrands Appoints Board of Directors Chairman

HanesBrands announces that its board of directors has appointed William Simon to serve as chairman of the board, effective Dec. 31. His appointment follows Ronald Nelson’s decision to retire as chairman and a member of the board at the end of the year.

Nelson shares, “It has been an honor to serve as a director and the chairman of the HanesBrands board. Over the course of my 15 years on the board, the company has remained true to its core principle of making apparel known and loved by consumers around the world for comfort, quality, and value while growing and evolving with the industry. Looking forward, I am confident that Bill, Steve, and the full team will continue to leverage the strength of the company’s brands and enhanced operations to deliver further growth and value for all shareholders and stakeholders.”

Simon has been a director at the company since 2021 and has previously served on the talent and compensation committee and the governance and nominating committee. He is executive advisor to the KKR & Co. investment firm and president of WSS Venture Holdings, LLC, after having served as president and CEO of Walmart U.S., and brings extensive senior leadership skills and deep experience as a public company director at other consumer-facing companies.

“On behalf of the board, I thank Ron for his years of leadership and Cheryl and Ann for their dedication to HanesBrands. I appreciate the board’s confidence in me, and I look forward to working with my fellow directors and the management team in my new role as chairman. As we move ahead with fresh perspectives gained from our recently appointed new directors, the board continues to be intensely focused on delivering enhanced shareholder value. We are collectively committed to supporting management as the team executes on opportunities to drive improved growth and profitability,” says Simon.

Cheryl K. Beebe and Ann E. Ziegler will also retire as members of the board on Dec. 31. These changes follow the appointment of three new independent directors, Colin Browne, Natasha Chand, and John Mehas, and align with the company’s previously announced intent to return the board to 10 members.

“HanesBrands has been fortunate to benefit from the strategic leadership, operational expertise, and financial acumen that Ron, Cheryl, and Ann each brought to the board. They have made significant contributions to the company throughout their years of service. They served as valuable partners to me and our leadership team as we have developed and executed a strategy to capitalize on HanesBrands’ growth opportunities, simplify our global business, and best position our brands for success in an evolving consumer environment. I look forward to working with Bill in his new role as chairman as we accelerate and continue to advance our strategic initiatives,” states Steve Bratspies, CEO and director.