Company names luxury retail veteran to drive people strategy and culture
NEW YORK, Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Exemplar Luxury Group (“ELG” or the “Company”), the luxury collective that comprises leading multi-brand luxury retailers Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman, today announced the appointment of Gretchen Koback Pursel as Chief People Officer, effective September 28.
Koback Pursel is a seasoned human resources leader who brings proven experience in the luxury retail, beauty and wellness industries. She has held Chief People Officer positions at Tiffany & Co., The Wella Company and most recently, Equinox.
“I am pleased to welcome Gretchen to the Exemplar Luxury Group Management Team at a pivotal time for our organization,” said Geoffroy van Raemdonck, Chief Executive Officer, Exemplar Luxury Group. “Our colleagues are the heartbeat of ELG. By empowering our people to realize their full potential, we in turn will realize the full potential of our company. With Gretchen’s proven track record in luxury and transformation, she is the ideal leader to guide our journey and cultivate an employer-of-choice culture where we drive sustainable growth by unleashing the power of our people.”
Koback Pursel’s expertise leading global teams through transformation, designing talent strategies to attract and retain top talent and fostering high-performing cultures will be an asset to the company in its new era as Exemplar Luxury Group. She will be tasked with developing and leading a people strategy that fosters a culture of performance to energize and empower individuals and the collective team to drive results.
“I am thrilled to join Exemplar Luxury Group and its iconic luxury retail banners at an incredibly important time for the company with tremendous opportunity ahead,” said Koback Pursel. “I look forward to partnering closely with the leadership team to build a people strategy rooted in belonging, that empowers our teams, defines what culture means to ELG and enables the organization to thrive as we define the future of luxury retail.”
Koback Pursel succeeds Sarah Garber, who has made the decision to leave the organization after 15 years of leadership and service. Garber played an instrumental leadership role through the company’s transformation, merger integration and financial restructuring, while establishing a strong foundation for its people strategy and future growth.
ABOUT EXEMPLAR LUXURY GROUP:
Exemplar Luxury Group, formerly Saks Global, is the luxury collective uniting coveted brands with unrivaled customer experiences across Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman. Driven by a relentless devotion to our customers and powered by our talented colleagues, we offer expertly curated product assortments, unparalleled service and personalized experiences across our integrated retail model. Through strong partnerships with the world’s most desired luxury brands and deep customer relationships enhanced by data-rich insights, Exemplar Luxury Group is committed to setting the standard of excellence for luxury retail.
Visit exemplarluxurygroup.com for more information, and follow Exemplar Luxury Group on LinkedIn.
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SOURCE Exemplar Luxury Group
