Industry veteran and strategic leader Veronica Katz, named inaugural chair member to drive innovation and growth in new advisory role
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., August 1, 2024 (Newswire.com) - David’s Bridal, Inc. (“David’s”), the nation’s leading bridal and special occasion authority, is excited to announce the appointment of Veronica Katz as the Chair of its newly established Pearl Advisory Board. Katz brings a wealth of experience and strategic vision, making her an ideal leader for this inaugural role.
Pearl by David’s (“Pearl”) is an industry-leading marketplace and one-stop shop for all things wedding planning. Brides can search for vendors, create vision boards and checklists, kickstart a wedding website, and create a registry all in one app, creating a truly seamless planning experience. The Pearl Advisory Board will serve as a “learning forum” for David’s Bridal Pearl leadership team as Pearl grows to become the dominant event planning ecosystem in the market. Its focus will be on enhancing the overall experience, boosting satisfaction among customers, partners, and vendors, and driving business growth.
Veronica Katz has a distinguished background in strategic leadership and growth management. As an accomplished executive in the tech and payments industry, she has held senior positions at various top-tier organizations, such as PayPal, where she has successfully led initiatives in global account management, strategic partnerships, enterprise sales, marketing, and business development. Beginning her early career at David’s, Katz previously served as their VP of Strategic Partnerships. Her expertise will be instrumental in driving the leadership board’s mission, a full-circle moment as she returns to her roots in the industry where she first made her mark.
David’s Bridal has established the Pearl Advisory Board to offer independent perspective, thought leadership, and strategic advice on how David’s can continue serving not only brides but also the 2 million plus vendors in the United States who serve the wedding industry. Veronica Katz is the first external board member and will co-chair alongside Kelly Cook, President of Brand, Technology, and Finance. Katz will establish the board with 15 additional members, who will each bring extensive expertise in areas such as retail management, customer experience, marketing, digital strategies, B2B, technology, wedding planning, marketplace dynamics, and event planning.
“Veronica’s appointment marks a significant milestone for David’s and Pearl by David’s Bridal,” said Kelly Cook, President, Brand, Technology, and Finance at David’s Bridal. “Her strategic insight, visionary leadership, and proven track record in business development will be critical as we work to elevate the Board. With an NPS score of 82, our brides have shared feedback on David's experience. With Pearl by David’s Bridal, we can leverage our board to not only pair brides with the perfect vendors, we also want to give thousands of small business owners everywhere who serve and have a passion for the wedding industry a platform to showcase and drive their businesses. When we look at our defined 3-5 year plan, Pearl is the key driver of growth for David’s. Veronica’s industry knowledge, deep understanding of David’s brand and mission, and ability to innovate to meet the needs of our brides and expanding customer base make her the perfect person to co-chair this endeavor.”
The scope of the Pearl Advisory Board includes reviewing current retail trends and market conditions, providing feedback on existing retail strategies and initiatives, driving vendor adoption, elasticity, and retention, providing enhancement recommendations on service and loyalty, advising on technological advancements and justifications, assessing the competitive landscape, and suggesting differentiation strategies.