As part of its continuing efforts to empower companies to drive long-term business success through positive societal impact, Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP) announced that Fran Horowitz, CEO, Abercrombie & Fitch Co., (A&F Co.) has joined the organization’s distinguished Board of Directors. As a CEO-led coalition of more than 200 of the world’s largest companies, CECP believes a company’s social strategy – how it engages with key stakeholders including employees, communities, investors, and customers – determines a company’s success.

“As CECP celebrates its 20^th anniversary, we’re encouraged by how far the organization and the companies in our CEO-led coalition have come in changing the relationship between business and its critical stakeholders,” said Doug Conant, Founder and CEO, ConantLeadership; former CEO, Campbell Soup Company; former Chairman, Avon Products; and Chairman, CECP. “But we know there will always be more to do and with the addition of Fran’s perspective, leadership, and business intelligence to our Board of Directors, CECP will continue to be the standard-bearer of corporate purpose for another 20 years.”

Founded in 1999 by actor and philanthropist Paul Newman and other business leaders, CECP has grown to a movement of more than 200 of the world’s largest companies that represent $6.6 trillion in revenues, $21.2 billion in societal investment, 14 million employees, and $15 trillion in assets under management.

“This year has been pivotal for reinforcing how companies must do business if they are to succeed in the long-term,” said Daryl Brewster, CEO, CECP. “Fran’s dedication to building a culture of purpose at Abercrombie & Fitch makes her a powerful addition to CECP’s Board of Directors. We welcome her talents, insights, and executive expertise to help steward CECP into the future.”

Established in 1892, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. celebrates a rich history of community engagement. The company’s philanthropic focus is on enriching the lives of children and teens though health and wellness programs and contributing to their customers’ communities locally, nationally, and globally.

Since 2016, A&F Co. has donated more than $10 million to SeriousFun Children’s Network, as part of its 5-year, $15 million commitment to the nonprofit that provides specially adapted camp experiences for children with serious illnesses and their families, free of charge.  

As part of its ongoing sustainability efforts, in 2019 the company joined the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate citizenship and sustainability initiative, and announced its new 2025 sustainability goals, building on the retailer’s existing global social and environmental sustainability programs, many of which were started almost 20 years ago.

 “It is an honor to join the Board of CECP; I’ve found the conversations with peer CEOs at CECP’s gatherings to be refreshingly candid, action-oriented, and well-aligned with our thinking at A&F, namely that a multi-stakeholder approach is necessary for success,” said Fran Horowitz, CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. “As a company, we strive to have an enduring positive impact on the communities we touch around the world, and knowledge-sharing with other business like-minded leaders can only help in that endeavor.”

Fran has served as Chief Executive Officer of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. since February 2017. She joined Abercrombie & Fitch in October 2014 as Hollister Brand President and as of December 2015, Fran held the role of President and Chief Merchandising Officer of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Prior to Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Fran served as Brand President at Ann Taylor Loft. For nearly eight years, she worked at Express, Inc., rising to the position of Executive Vice President of Women's Merchandising and Design. She joined Express, Inc. after 13 years in several merchandising roles at Bloomingdales, prior to which she served in various positions at Bergdorf Goodman, Bonwit Teller and Saks Fifth Avenue. Fran is on the Board of Directors for SeriousFun Children’s Network, and she is also a member of the Columbus Partnership, a non-profit organization of CEOs from Columbus’ leading businesses and institutions, with the goal of improving economic development in the city that is home to A&F Co.

Fran joins the current Board of Directors, which includes:

• Douglas R. Conant, Founder and CEO, ConantLeadership; former CEO, Campbell Soup Company; former Chairman, Avon Products; and Chairman, CECP

• Patrick J. Burke, President & CEO, HSBC USA Group

• Thomas DeRosa, CEO & Director, Welltower

• Lynne Doughtie, Chairman & CEO, KPMG LLP

• Theodore Dysart, Vice Chairman, Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.

• Richard Edelman, President & CEO, Edelman

• Alex Gorsky, Chairman & CEO, Johnson & Johnson

• Alan G. Hassenfeld, Chairman, Executive Committee, Hasbro, Inc.

• Shelly Lazarus, Chairman Emeritus, Ogilvy & Mather

• Bill McNabb, Former Chairman, Vanguard

• Deanna Mulligan, President & CEO, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America

• Stuart Parker, CEO, USAA

• Michael I. Roth, Chairman & CEO, Interpublic Group

CECP’s Board of Directors also includes the following Director Emeriti:

• Marilyn Carlson Nelson, Former Chairman and CEO, Carlson Holdings, Inc.

• Kenneth T. Derr, Former Chairman & CEO, Chevron Corporation

• Henrietta Fore, Executive Director, United Nations Children’s Fund

• Peter Malkin, Chairman Emeritus, Empire State Realty Trust

• Harold McGraw, III, Chairman Emeritus, S&P Global

• Paul Newman, Actor and Philanthropist, (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008)

• David Rockefeller, Former Chairman & CEO, Chase Manhattan Corporation (June 12, 1915 – March 20, 2017)

• Paul Volcker, Former Chairman, Federal Reserve

• Sanford Weill, Chairman Emeritus, Citigroup, Inc.

• John C. Whitehead, Former Co-Chair, Goldman, Sachs, & Co., Former Deputy Secretary of State (April 2, 1922 – February 7, 2017)

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ABOUT CHIEF EXECUTIVES FOR CORPORATE PURPOSE (CECP)

Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP) is a CEO-led coalition that believes that a company’s social strategy — how it engages with key stakeholders including employees, communities, investors, and customers —determines company success. Founded in 1999 by actor and philanthropist Paul Newman and other business leaders to create a better world through business, CECP has grown to a movement of more than 200 of the world’s largest companies that represent $6.6 trillion in revenues, $21.2 billion in societal investment, 14 million employees, and $15 trillion in assets under management. CECP helps companies transform their social strategy by providing customized connections and networking, counsel and support, benchmarking and trends, and awareness building and recognition.

ABOUT ABERCROMBIE & FITCH CO.

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) is a leading, global specialty retailer of apparel and accessories for Men, Women and Kids through three renowned brands. For more than 125 years, the iconic Abercrombie & Fitch brand has outfitted innovators, explorers and entrepreneurs. Today, the brand reflects the updated attitude of the modern customer, while remaining true to its heritage of creating expertly crafted products with an effortless, American style. The Hollister brand epitomizes liberating the carefree spirit of an endless California summer for the teen market. abercrombie kids creates smart, playful apparel for children ages 5-14, celebrating the wide-eyed wonder of childhood.

The brands share a commitment to offering products of enduring quality and exceptional comfort that allow consumers around the world to express their own individuality and style. The company operates over 850 stores under these brands across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as well as the e-commerce sites www.abercrombie.com and www.hollisterco.com.

CECP

CECP

The Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP) is the only international forum of business leaders focused on increasing the level and quality of corporate philanthropy. Membership includes more than 180 global CEOs and chairpersons of companies that collectively account for more than 40% of reported corporate giving in the United States. Membership is by invitation and is renewed annually.

CECP provides member companies with peer-to-peer executive convenings, premier networking events for corporate giving industry professionals, cutting-edge research publications, a proprietary, on-demand benchmarking system of corporate philanthropy data, and exclusive media opportunities.

Founded in 1999 by actor and philanthropist Paul Newman, together with John Whitehead, Peter Malkin, and other business leaders, CECP continues to inspire and challenge leaders in the private sector to find innovative ways to fulfill unmet social needs and to lead the way towards better alignment of business and social strategies.

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