PacSun announces new co-CEOs, president

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
May 9, 2021

Teen apparel brand PacSun announced on Friday several leadership changes where Alfred Chang, PacSun president, and Michael Relich, interim CEO of PSEB Group, will be elevated to co-chief executive officers. 

As co-CEOs, Chang and Relich will have distinct oversight of key business functions. Chang will be responsible for setting and driving PacSun’s brand strategy, including design, merchandising, marketing, retail and e-commerce, while Relich will oversee operations, including sourcing/supply chain, distribution, planning and allocation, IT, finance, legal, and human resources. Both will serve on the PacSun board of directors. 

As a result, Brieane (Brie) Olson, PacSun’s chief brand officer, will be promoted to president.
As president, Olson will continue to have oversight of merchandising/design for both men’s and women’s, as well as brand marketing and creative.

“Alfred has established himself as a visionary leader for PacSun and Mike has driven operational excellence through his strong stewardship of PSEB,” said Neale Attenborough, PSEB chairman and operating partner at Golden Gate Capital. 

“The company is enjoying success through a strong roster of brand partnerships with the most coveted youth culture brands in the market, and a terrific bench of seasoned leaders. We are confident the company will accelerate its trajectory under the leadership of Alfred and Mike, combined with Brie’s creative, merchandising, and marketing expertise.”

Chang first joined the company in 2006 and has served as president of PacSun since 2018. Relich, who has more than 30 years of retail operations and system experience, has served as interim CEO of PSEB Group since August 2020 and previously served as PSEB’s chief operating officer. 

Finally, Olson, who has over 20 years of experience in the retail industry, has served as chief brand officer of PacSun since July 2020. He equally joined the company in 2006 and has served in multiple senior positions.

PacSun is a teen retailer representing leading brands including Vans, Fear of God Essentials, Champion, and John Galt, as well as its own labels. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the retailer generated over $700 million in sales in 2020, including a 50 percent increase in digital sales. Year-to-date sales are up 105 percent versus the same period last year and are up 48 percent as compared to the same period in 2019.