Membership
Raines International Hires New Retail Practice Leader
Raines International announced today that Joe Hartsig, previously chief merchandising officer at Bed Bath & Beyond and Walgreens and a senior merchandising executive at Walmart, is joining the executive search and talent advisory firm as a Managing Director. He will lead Raines’ Retail practice and is based in the Chicago office.
Hartsig has more than 30 years of experience in the retail and consumer goods sector, most recently serving as Chief Merchandising Officer at Bed Bath & Beyond and President of Harmon Stores. He is a member of the board of directors for the Acosta Group, the multibillion-dollar private equity-backed sales and marketing agency that serves leading retailers, consumer products, and foodservice companies.
“As a past business client, I have always been incredibly impressed by Raines’ exceptional results, high quality of service, and collaborative, hands-on approach. Raines is a true partner to clients as they optimize leadership teams, assess talent and succession needs, and identify new talent who can make a difference,” Hartsig said. “I’m thrilled by this opportunity to be a part of what Raines is building."
Hartsig will leverage his deep industry experience and extensive network to oversee all retail-related search and advisory assignments at the board and C-suite levels, as well as their direct reports. Prior to Bed Bath & Beyond, he was Chief Merchandising Officer and head of Marketing at Walgreens and Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer at Essendant, now part of Staples. Hartsig was also a past corporate officer at Walmart, where he held senior merchandising roles.
“The differentiated value proposition that Joe offers clients is undeniable and highly impactful,” said Dan Smith, CEO of Raines International. “Few have achieved Joe’s level of business success in the world’s largest corporations, and he now offers those experiences and his network to help companies transform their leadership teams. He is a remarkable addition to our firm.”
Hartsig will work closely with Lisa Mann, Raines’ Managing Director leading the Consumer practice. Prior to Raines, Mann was a Global President at PepsiCo, Chief Marketing Officer of KIND Healthy Snacks, and a senior marketing leader at Kraft Foods/Mondelez International.
Hartsig is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management and Hillsdale College. He is a former advisory board member for the Global Retail Marketing Association, the National Association for Chain Drug Stores, Northwestern Retail Analytics Council, and Consumer Electronics Association.
Over the past four years, Raines has expanded its leadership team, adding executives with considerable industry experience to advise its public and private equity-backed clients on identifying, retaining, and developing their senior leaders. The firm recently opened a London office and has attracted top talent to expand its Advisory, Finance, and Software & Technology practices.
