Bath & Body Works, known for its sugar cookie face scrubs and watermelon-scented hand lotions, will no longer have a president of retail.

Julie Rosen, an industry veteran who had prior stints in the executive suites of Ann Taylor Loft and The Gap, arrived at Bath & Body Works in 2020 to lend her expertise to a chain that has felt the macroeconomic turbulence buffeting malls.

Bath & Body Works ranks No. 61 in the Top 1000. The database is Digital Commerce 360’s ranking of the largest North American online retailers. It falls under the Health & Beauty category. Digital Commerce 360 projects online sales for Bath and Body Works will reach $1.56 billion in 2024.

Bath & Body Works web sales

Why Rosen is leaving as president at Bath & Body Works

Rosen has served in the role of president, retail of Bath & Body Works since 2020, but the position is being eliminated to provide more efficiencies and “streamlining” of operations, according to the company. She will maintain availability in an advisory capacity following the exit until late October.

“Having made significant progress in fortifying our operating foundation and building our platform for long-term, sustainable growth, we believe that now is the right time for this change and that we will benefit from accelerated decision-making as a flatter organization,” said Gina Boswell, CEO at Bath & Body Works, in a released statement.

Boswell has been at Columbus, Ohio-based Bath & Body Works since 2022. She previously worked on the boards of ACCO Brands and, prior to that, Wolverine Worldwide.

Rosen’s departure comes during a year of downward sales trends across the broad. And the company’s semi-annual sale fell flat with consumers.

“It didn’t really resonate with customers the way it usually does because the store and the marketing didn’t clearly convey that this was a tentpole, major sale event,” Rosen said on a call with analysts last month.

She characterized its shortcomings in two important ways.

“It was mostly positioned at the front of the store,” she stated. “It didn’t really scream ‘sale’ across the entire store.”

Ongoing changes at Bath & Body Works

Meanwhile, the company has been experimenting with new scents and products to see what resonates with consumers. Scents judged to be more sophisticated, such as Mahogany Teakwood and Champagne Toast, have been added to the mix alongside old standbys like fresh linen and pumpkin spice.

Heather Roberts, founder of Mom Bomb, which markets vegan bath bombs sold at Bath & Body Works, highlights that the chain’s success stems from its strong branding, customer loyalty and product innovation.

“The company has maintained a devoted audience by offering appealing, high-quality products,” she said.

Roberts is bullish about the company’s prospects despite the down year.

“As a standalone entity, its future looks promising due to its strategic positioning and consistent consumer engagement,” Roberts says.

Bath & Body Works currently has 1,800 company-operated locations in the U.S. and Canada. It also has more than 425 international franchised locations, as well as its website.

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