Abercrombie hires new GC as it tries to get that cool factor back

Abercrombie & Fitch Co., the formerly hip clothing chain, has hired Gregory Henchel as senior vice president and general counsel. Henchel (in the photo above, courtesy of Twitter) brings 25 years of broad legal experience to the company, including more than ten years in the retail sector. Henchel’s experience spans general corporate, commercial, securities, regulatory, employment and intellectual property law, corporate governance and litigation.

A&F has gone through a rough patch, a combination of changing fashion, the general decline in bricks and mortar stores, and controversies over its sexualized advertising and statements that only good-looking people should buy its clothes.

Henchel, who starts work at his new job on October 1, will lead A&F Co.’s global legal department, and serve as corporate secretary. He will report to Fran Horowitz, Abercrombie & Fitch Co.’s CEO. Henchel was previously with HSN, Inc. where he served as chief legal officer for the $3 billion+ multi-channel retailer, and before then, he was GC at Tween Brands Inc. Before his roles in the retail sector, Henchel was assistant general counsel at Cardinal Health, Inc., the global medical device, pharmaceutical and healthcare technology company. He began his career as a litigation associate at Jones Day. Henchel received a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of Michigan, and earned his Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School.

Commenting on the appointment, CEO Horowitz said, “We are pleased to welcome Greg to A&F Co. and our family of brands.  With his strong background in retail, and broad range of legal expertise, we look forward to his strategic guidance and support as we continue to transform our company and grow our brands globally.”