Genesco Launches Journeys Global Retail Group to Drive Youth-Focused Growth in 2025

Genesco brings together Journeys and schuh and Little Burgundy under one powerful global retail group to drive youth-focused growth and style leadership worldwide.

Global Retail Organization: A Unified Vision

In a major strategic move announced September 30, 2025, Genesco formed the Journeys Global Retail Group, an integrated leadership and operational model bringing together its leading youth-oriented footwear chains across North America, the UK, and Ireland. The new alignment aims to position Genesco as the world’s premier style-driven, youth footwear retailer while sharpening its global voice, unlocking growth for brand partners, and cultivating world-class talent.

Leadership Appointments and Structure

• Andy Gray was promoted to Chief Executive Officer of the new Journeys Global Retail Group, after leading Journeys through four consecutive quarters of positive comparable sales growth and innovative merchandising strategies.

• Chris Santaella was elevated to Chief Merchandising Officer, directing product strategies and leading merchant teams across all three retail banners. Both bring deep experience from previous senior roles at Foot Locker, with a strong focus on brand partnerships, athletic and fashion footwear, and youth culture.

• Leadership teams at Schuh (UK) and Little Burgundy (Canada) remain in place, reporting up through this new organization.

Strategic Goals

This transformation is crafted to leverage unified global leadership, maximize growth opportunities, expand consumer reach, and bolster Genesco’s position with the young, style-conscious female shopper—a demographic at the heart of the group’s growth. Recent gains in double-digit comparable sales, a refreshed store design, and expanded fashion-forward assortment (like adding new brands such as Hoka) are evidence that the approach is resonating strongly despite uncertain macroeconomic conditions.

Mimi E. Vaughn, Board Chair, President, and CEO of Genesco, said:
“With unified global leadership, we will maximize opportunities, strengthen market positioning with the consumer, and drive even greater growth with our brand partners. Andy and Chris are the right leaders for this new organization, building on their tremendous success in repositioning Journeys, their extensive experience in athletic and fashion footwear, their expansive brand partner relationships, and their strong connection to youth culture.”

Continued Momentum

Genesco operates more than 1,250 retail stores worldwide. Its new global retail organization is expected to not only cement its leadership in the footwear sector but to deliver greater collaboration, smarter market strategies, and an even stronger youth-focused brand experience for consumers and partners alike. Genesco has established the Journeys Global Retail Group, uniting Journeys, schuh, and Little Burgundy under a single organizational structure to harness global leadership, fuel youth-focused growth, and sharpen market positioning through renewed investment in style-led female consumers.