Laura J. Alber
Laura Alber | |
|---|---|
_at_World_Economic_Forum_Davos_2023.png) Speaking at the 2023 World Economic Forum | |
| Born | 1968 (age 55–56) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Business Executive |
| Known for | CEO, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. |
Laura J. Alber (born 1968)[1] is an American businesswoman who in 2010 became the CEO of Williams-Sonoma, Inc.[2]
Early life
[edit]Alber earned a B.A. in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.[3][4] While attending Penn, Alber had a small business selling velvet floppy hats.[5] She said she got the idea after observing the floppy hat trend while a student at the University of Edinburgh.[3] As a student, she took a wide range of classes, which she has said later served her well as a business executive. After graduation from Penn, Alber drove to California with no plan and took a series of odd jobs until taking an entry-level job at Gap Inc.[3]
Career
[edit]She joined Williams-Sonoma in 1995 as a senior buyer in the Pottery Barn subsidiary brand.[6] Alber was promoted several times. She has said that her most important job, prior to becoming CEO of Williams-Sonoma, was serving as director of the Pottery Barn catalog, giving her the opportunity to “own” a business line from start to finish.[7] She later became president of Pottery Barn, serving in that capacity from 2002 to 2006.[4]
Alber moved to the newly created role of president of Williams-Sonoma in 2006, where she continued her lead of Pottery Barn and the company's global supply chain, distribution, and worldwide logistics.[6][8]
In 2010, she was elected to the company's board and named as CEO, replacing retiring W. Howard Lester.[9]
In September 2011, she was ranked the 10th highest paid woman in U.S. business by Fortune magazine, with an estimated compensation of $13,555,412.[2]
She has said she enjoys the intellectual challenge of understanding the changing trends and global influences on the home.[3] After being pregnant with her first daughter, Alber said she was inspired to create Pottery Barn Kids, providing home furnishings for children's spaces.[3] Alber also led the creation of the Pottery Barn Bed+Bath, PBteen, and Threads brands.[6] In 2011, the San Francisco Business Times named her one of the most influential women in San Francisco.[10]
Under Alber's leadership, Williams-Sonoma became one of the largest U.S. e-tailers, selling about half of its $5 billion annual sales online in 2014.[11] During her tenure, Williams-Sonoma launched its first app - "Recipe of the Day" - and partnered with YouTube to offer shoppable online videos. Alber has also promoted in-store events at Williams-Sonoma, including book signings and panini-making classes.[11] In 2014 and 2015, Fortune magazine named Alber a "Business Person of the Year."[11][12]
In 2014, Alber wrote a Harvard Business Review article, advocating for blending art and science in business by informing creative ideas with analytics.[13]
She was named on Fortune's list of Most Powerful Women in 2023.[14]
Personal life
[edit]Laura is married with three children.[15] She was a member of the advisory board of the Richardson Bay Audubon Center.[1]
She is on the board of overseers for the University of Pennsylvania College of Arts & Sciences.[16] She and her husband also created the Alber-Klingelhofer Endowed Scholarship at Penn.[3] In 2014, Alber was the graduation speaker at the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, where she encouraged "present mindedness" which she defined as focusing on doing what you love, rather than only planning for it.[3]
She became a member of the board of directors of Fitbit in 2016.[17]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Executive Profile | Williams-Sonoma Inc. | Laura J. Alber | Customer Intelligence". www.boardroominsiders.com. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
- ^ a b "25 highest-paid women - Laura J. Alber (10)". Fortune. Archived from the original on October 14, 2014. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g Anthony, Laura. "College graduation speaker Laura Alber's unconventional path to success". Retrieved May 11, 2017.
- ^ a b Laura Alber: Executive Profile & Biography - BusinessWeek
- ^ "MC@Work: THE POWERHOUSE". Marie Claire. November 19, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Laura Alber". WSJ.com. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
- ^ Sciacca, Annie. "Most Admired CEOs 2015: Williams-Sonoma CEO leads her team and company to skyrocketing success (Video)". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
- ^ Williams-Sonoma, Inc. - Executive Biographies
- ^ "Lester steps down as Williams-Sonoma CEO".
- ^ "150 Most Influential Women in Bay Area business named". San Francisco Business Times. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
- ^ a b c "Laura Alber". Fortune. November 13, 2014. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
- ^ "Laura Alber". Fortune. November 12, 2015. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
- ^ "The CEO of Williams-Sonoma on Blending Instinct with Analysis". Harvard Business Review. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
- ^ "Most Powerful Women". Fortune.
- ^ Women In Leadership Conference – Making Your Mark 2008 Archived 2013-07-16 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Board of Overseers". University of Pennsylvania College of Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
- ^ Wylie, Melissa (June 3, 2016). "San Francisco: Fitbit adds two women to its board". Business Journals. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
- Businesspeople from the San Francisco Bay Area
- American retail chief executives
- American corporate directors
- University of Pennsylvania School of Arts and Sciences alumni
- American women chief executives
- American women corporate directors
- Williams-Sonoma people
- 1968 births
- Living people
- 20th-century American businesspeople
- 20th-century American businesswomen
- 21st-century American businesspeople
- 21st-century American businesswomen