Andy Dunn is headed back to Bonobos, the brand he cofounded in 2007.
In April, brand management firm WHP Global and Express Inc. agreed to acquire Bonobos for $75 million from Walmart, which had owned the men’s brand for six years.
Dunn, who had served as chief executive officer of Bonobos for a decade, will join the new company in an advisory role, WHP said Friday. He will work closely with Tim Baxter, chief executive officer of Express; John Hutchison, Bonobos president, and the rest of the Bonobos team.
“Getting back into the mix at Bonobos is a magical, full-circle moment,” said Dunn. “Yehuda, Tim and the teams at WHP Global and EXPR are wonderful people and will be exceptional brand stewards. In partnership with John and the strong leadership team at Bonobos, we’re going to do great things on behalf of current and future Bonobos customers.” Yehuda Shmidman is WHP’s global chairman and CEO, and the architect of the Bonobos purchase.
“As the cofounder of Bonobos and a retail innovator, Andy has a unique perspective that we are fortunate to have access to as we work with WHP Global to begin the next chapter of growth for Bonobos,” said Baxter.
“The future of the Bonobos brand is incredibly exciting as we welcome back Andy Dunn and focus on activating the brand’s potential by leveraging the combined platforms of WHP Global and Express,” Shmidman said. “With Andy Dunn’s extensive expertise and unwavering passion for the brand, we are confident that he will play a vital role in guiding the Bonobos brand through its next phase of growth.”
Bonobos was a standout among a wave of digital natives when it launched, but under Walmart, it had a lower profile. It was a part of the retailer’s focus on adding a number direct-to-consumer brands to compete with Amazon, but it has since moved on, selling most of the brands including Moose Knuckles. Walmart had paid $310 million for Bonobos in 2017.