HanesBrands hires former Walmart chief merchant Steve Bratspies as CEO

North Carolina-based apparel marketer HanesBrands Inc. on Wednesday (June 10) named former Walmart executive Steve Bratspies its new CEO. Bratspies will succeed Gerald Evans Jr., who is retiring after 37 years.

Bratspies, 52, will begin the job Aug. 3. He was most recently employed as chief merchandising officer at Walmart, reporting to former Walmart U.S. CEO Greg Foran. When Foran resigned in late 2019 and John Furner became CEO of Walmart U.S., Bratspies departed the retail giant this past January, capping a 15-year run with the Bentonville-based company.

Bratspies held several leadership positions at the company in marketing, dry grocery and general merchandise, including serving as executive vice president of food for Walmart U.S. The retailer named him its chief merchant in October 2015.

“Steve is an experienced global leader, has a strong vision for the future of consumer products businesses, and has an extensive track record of success in senior management roles across a number of critical business disciplines,” HanesBrands Chairman Ronald L. Nelson said in a news release. “He has tackled complex business challenges and consistently delivered superior results across a multitude of consumer product categories. We are confident that Steve is the ideal CEO to lead Hanes forward as we focus on our strong portfolio of consumer brands across the globe, rapid online growth, and strong cash flow model.”

Prior to joining Walmart, he worked as chief marketing officer for Specialty Brands and held various management positions at PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North American division.

Bratspies will relocate to Winston-Salem, N.C., for the job at at HanesBrands.