VF hires general counsel for jeans spin-off

Laurel Krueger has been named vice president and general counsel of Kontoor Brands, the independent, publicly traded company that will result from the separation of VF Corporation’s jeans-wear organization.

NYSE-listed VF includes a portfolio of clothing and accessories brands such as Vans, The North Face, Timberland, Wrangler and Lee. The separation of VF’s jeans-wear organization is expected to be completed in the first half of 2019, subject to final approval by the company’s board of directors, regulatory approvals and tax and legal considerations, according to a VF statement. The new company will comprise the Wrangler, Lee and Rock & Republic brands, and the VF Outlet business.

In her new role, Krueger oversees Kontoor Brands’ legal function, including compliance, M&A and corporate governance. She serves on Kontoor Brands’ executive management team, reporting directly to CEO Scott Baxter. Her appointment took effect last week. 

Krueger was previously executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary at Signet Jewelers. She has also held legal leadership roles at publicly traded companies in the retail and manufacturing sectors, including Federal-Mogul Corporation, Tecumseh Products Company and Borders Group.

‘Laurel is a seasoned legal executive with nearly 20 years of experience, including in the retail industry,’ says Baxter in a statement. ‘Her breadth of leadership experience with multinational corporations will be an asset to our team as we embark on our new journey as an independent company and grow our business in the denim and apparel categories.’