George Murray, Signet’s chief retail insights and strategy officer, one of the last C-level veterans at Signet Jewelers, is leaving the company in May, according to a public filing the company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Murray has served as chief retail insights and strategy since last January. He previously served as Signet’s chief merchandising and marketing officer, as well as president of the Zales division following its acquisition. Prior to that, he worked in the company’s marketing department. He joined Signet in 1992, serving a total of 26 years at the jeweler.

Steven Becker, chief human resources officer, is also leaving the company. Becker joined the company’s Sterling division in 2005 and has served in his current position since May 2014. Becker will also depart in May.

Murray and Becker are not the only veteran high-level executives who have left Signet in the last year or so. Stuart Lee, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, and Clark McEwen, senior president for Signet Direct Diamond Sourcing, both left last May. Ed Hrabak, Signet’s former chief operating officer, left in January 2017. His replacement, Bryan Morgan, also ended up leaving. CEO Mark Light left last August.

In an interview in January, CEO Gina Drosos was asked about the number of longtime veterans leaving the company.

“At Signet, we are very team-oriented,” she responded. “There is tremendous value in having people who have been part of that team for a long time—who know the industry inside and out—partner with people who have a fresh perspective and can make the changes that we need to grow our company and the industry.”

(Image from LinkedIn)

Rob Bates

JCK News Director