Lisa Harper has served as Chief Executive Officer of Torrid since May 2022 and has been a member of the Company's Board of Directors since 2008. She is a seasoned specialty retail executive with deep experience leading merchandising-driven brands and scaling omnichannel apparel platforms.
From July 2021 to May 2022, Ms. Harper served as Executive Chairperson of Belk, where she previously served as Chief Executive Officer from 2016 to 2021. Earlier in her career, she served as Chief Executive Officer of Torrid and Hot Topic from 2011 to 2016 and held multiple senior leadership roles at Gymboree Corporation, including Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board. Additional merchandising and design leadership experience includes positions at Limited Too, Esprit, GapKids, Mervyn's, and Levi Strauss & Co.
As Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Harper is closely engaged in leading the Company's merchandising and design functions in addition to overall strategy and operations. Her leadership is focused on strengthening Torrid's category authority in plus-size apparel, advancing product and brand differentiation, optimizing the store footprint, and improving operating discipline to support sustainable growth and long-term shareholder value. Ms. Harper attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.