Carter's names H&M executive as chief product officer amid C-suite overhaul. By Anne Stych - Bizwomen Editor, The Business Journals Nov 2, 2026 Carter's Inc. has named an executive who spent 20 years in fast fashion as its new chief product officer, one of several management changes at the Atlanta-based children's apparel company. Maria Gemzell joins Carter's from H&M's headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden where she most recently oversaw strategic and new product initiatives. Upon joining the company in early 2027, Gemzell will lead design, merchandising, licensing and product development for Carter's. Other C-suite changes include the creation of a chief commercial officer role and splitting the dual COO/CFO role currently held by Richard Westenberger into two jobs. Allison Peterson, who joined Carter's in 2024 as chief retail and digital officer, will be elevated to the role of CCO, overseeing the company's North American retail and wholesale businesses. Westenberg will remain CFO, and a search is underway for a COO. The new COO and CCO functions will report to CEO and President Sharon Price John, who joined Carter's in June from Build-A-Bear Workshop. The company said in a statement that the changes are designed to better align business functions with its strategy to accelerate profitable growth. GET TO KNOW YOUR CITY Find Local Events Near You Connect with a community of local professionals. "Aligning our structure with our go-forward strategy is an important step toward becoming a more consumer-centric, brand-building, data-driven company that is positioned to consistently deliver profitable growth and increased value to our stakeholders," John said. In other management changes, Sarah Crockett, who joined Carter's as global chief marketing officer in 2025, has been appointed chief brand officer, and Emily Evert, formerly chief strategy officer, will serve going forward as chief strategy and business development officer, with expanded responsibility to lead a unified global consumer insights function and new responsibility for the company's international business. The company also announced the retirements of Julie D'Emilio, currently Carter's chief sales officer, who will serve as an advisor through year-end, and Karen Smith, the company's chief supply chain officer, in March 2027 after almost five years with the company. Carter's also reported its third-quarter earnings, which saw net sales decreasing less than1% year-over-year to $752 million, and lowered its outlook for the fiscal year to 1% growth versus a previous expectation of up to 3% growth. Carter's, Inc. (NYSE:CRI) core brands are Carter's and OshKosh B'gosh, and also include retail partner brands Child of Mine, It's Just One You and Simple Joys, as well as Little Planet, Otter Avenue and Skip Hop.

H&M hit with $138,600 ACCC penalty as retailers face new warnings over labelling rules. H&M has paid $138,600 over children's clothing fire safety labelling breaches, with a former ACCC official warning that big brands can become high-profile examples of regulatory enforcement. Fashion giant H&M has paid $138,600 in penalties for failing to include fire safety warnings on more than 4,400 items of children's clothing. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) served H&M Australia seven infringement notices for alleged breaches of mandatory fire warning labelling standards for children's pyjamas, dressing gowns and other clothing. The garments complied with flammability requirements but did not carry the appropriate warnings about the risk of fire. ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said the breaches posed an unnecessary risk to families. "While the products complied with the flammability requirements of the standard, their failure to carry the required warning labels to alert consumers to the dangers is a serious matter," Lowe said. Smarter business news. Straight to your inbox. For startup founders, small businesses and leaders. Build sharper instincts and better strategy by learning from Australia's smartest business minds. Sign up for free. H&M voluntarily recalled the affected products in July 2024, April 2025 and June 2025, the ACCC said. The retailer has also accepted a court-enforceable undertaking to launch a consumer awareness campaign, publicise the recalls and improve its product safety compliance processes. Payment of infringement notice penalties does not in itself amount to an admission of contravention of Australian Consumer Law. Retailers told to get their labels straight. Former ACCC product safety official Gail Greatorex told SmartCompany that children's nightwear standards were well established and retailers should be equipped to comply. "It is one of the more complicated mandatory product standards, and it is unique to Australia," Greatorex said. Greatorex, owner and principal of Product Safety Solutions Australia, said sizable companies like H&M should be more than capable of keeping ahead of potential labelling issues. "Any retailer and importer should be in a position to at least assess the labelling requirements," she said. Fashion trends complicate safety standards. Australia's children's nightwear safety standards were updated in 2017, expanding requirements to garments such as wearable blankets and towels with sleeves or arm openings. Compliance with the updated standard became mandatory in January 2020. "In the old days, pyjamas and dressing gowns were simply pyjamas and dressing gowns. Now they're influenced by fashion trends," Greatorex said. Wider-cut clothing can pose greater fire risks because more oxygen can reach the fabric and fuel flames. Greatorex said the expanded requirements had been in place long enough for retailers to be compliant. "The standard has been for years and years now, so for those garments. It dates back decades for ordinary pyjamas and dressing gowns," she said. The bigger the brand, the bigger the message. Greatorex said H&M's infringement notice penalties were substantially lower than those potentially imposed through court proceedings. She said enforcement action involving recognisable household brand names helped draw attention to product safety requirements. "The ACCC tends to take action against some of the big brands because they will get more publicity," Greatorex said. Greatorex said the infringements carried implications beyond H&M. "Anyone selling children's clothing needs to be cognisant of the mandatory standard for children's nightwear," she said. Consumers have been urged to stop using the recalled products and return them to H&M for a full refund. SmartCompany contacted H&M and the ACCC for additional comment but did not receive a response before publication.