Toys ‘R’ Us recruits new corporate secretary and general counsel

Cornell Boggs

Toys ‘R’ Us has recruited Cornell Boggs to serve as its executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, effective February 15. He will report directly to chairman and CEO Dave Brandon and be located in Wayne, NJ, where the company is based.

Boggs joins the toy and baby products retailer from Midland, Michigan-based Dow Corning Corporation, where he has served as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, according to a statement from his new employer. In his work with Dow Corning, he oversaw teams in Asia, Europe and Latin America as well as the US, and was responsible for legal, government affairs, compliance and ethics.

In his new role at Toys ‘R’ Us, Boggs will be responsible for leading all legal, corporate governance and legislative matters for the company. He will provide advice and counsel to the company’s leadership team on a range of issues, including those targeting corporate growth. As corporate secretary, he will also work closely with the company’s board of directors.

A Toys ‘R’ Us spokesperson did not comment when asked about Boggs’ predecessor as general counsel. But Hudson’s Bay Company last September announced the appointment of David Schwartz as its general counsel, stating that he had previously served in the equivalent post at Toys ‘R’ Us for more than a decade.

A spokesperson for Dow Corning parent entity The Dow Chemical Company did not have an immediate comment on Boggs’ departure.

Before Dow Corning, Boggs was chief responsibility and ethics officer for MillerCoors/Coors Brewing Company. He has also held senior positions with Tyco Plastics and Adhesives, Intel, Anheuser-Busch and Monsanto, and spent two years with the US Department of Justice in Washington, DC.

‘Cornell’s extensive global experience extends well beyond traditional legal issues,’ Brandon says. ‘He brings strong leadership skills, business acumen and an appreciation for the unique complexities of our company.’

According to the company, merchandise is sold in 885 Toys ‘R’ Us and Babies ‘R’ Us stores in the US, Puerto Rico and Guam, and in more than 795 international stores and more than 259 licensed stores in 37 countries and jurisdictions.