USA : Claire's CEO welcomes Mr. Per Brodin

February 12, 2008

Claire's Stores Inc a leading specialty retailer offering value-priced jewelry and accessories, announced the appointment of J. Per Brodin, as its Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

Per will serve in this position as an important addition to our Senior Management Team. He will lead the transformation of our finance group to assume a broader role of operating partner and trusted advisor globally, in addition to the important financial reporting and compliance functions. He will also have responsibility for Loss Prevention and North American Planning and Allocation. He will report to the CEO.

Gene Kahn, CEO, commented, "I am excited and would like to welcome Per to the Claire's team. He is a highly capable individual with an extensive background and a wealth of experience within and outside of retail.

Building on this foundation he will be able to drive financial results while simultaneously directing and managing our financial team across our global business. His thirteen years of experience at Arthur Andersen, the final two in their Professional Standards Group, before joining May Department Stores, where I first met him, underscores the high level of financial accounting and management skills he brings to his new position, and which will benefit Claire's as we move forward."

Per joins Claire's with a considerable background. He previously served as Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer/Chief Financial Officer at Centene Corporation, a $3 billion health care provider, where he was responsible for managing financial objectives for a company with a 50% top line growth in two of the three years he was with the company.

Claire's Stores Inc

Source @ Fibre2fashion