Edmond Mesrobian, Nordstrom’s chief technology and information officer, is stepping down on Oct. 14, according to a new regulatory filing.
Mesrobian joined Nordstrom in 2018. He was previously chief technology officer of travel giant Expedia Group, streaming pioneer RealNetworks, and grocery retailer Tesco.
Mesrobian informed the company Sept. 30 that he was stepping down. We’ve followed up with Nordstrom about his replacement, and will update when we hear back.
Mesrobian, a computer scientist and a board member at French advertising company Criteo, was charged with helping Nordstrom bolster its digital strategy and customer engagement efforts. In its second quarter earnings report, the Seattle-based company said digital sales represented 38% of total sales during the quarter, and increased 6.3% from the year-ago period.
Nordstrom is seeing growth in digital services such as virtual style boards and online styling appointments, CEO Erik Nordstrom said on the second quarter earnings call. Digital styling customers spend 5X more than an average Nordstrom customer, he said.
Nordstrom cut its revenue forecast for 2022 in August, citing slowing traffic and customer demand, predominately at Nordstrom Rack. Other retailers are also adjusting their financial expectations amid higher inflation and lower consumer spending.
Mesrobian “has led a step change improvement in our technology, data and product capabilities,” said Nordstrom in a message to employees Wednesday. “It’s clear that we’re in a much better place today than we were before he arrived. He has been a key contributor in building the architecture, infrastructure and resiliency needed for us to be a digital-first company.” The company is seeking a replacement.
