Chief Commercial Officer Howard Smith is leaving Ralph Lauren The departure follows allegations that Smith had acted “against the company’s code of conduct and ethics,” he told U.S. apparel retailers in an open letter to employees on Wednesday . The board then launched an independent investigation to confirm the allegations. Ralph Lauren emphasizes that Smith’s misconduct was not related to the company’s finances or performance, but was on a personal level. The company did not provide further details on the allegations.
Smith was with Ralph Lauren for 20 years. As an interim solution, executives from individual markets in which Ralph Lauren is present will report directly to managing directors.