Exhibit 99.1
HanesBrands Appoints Three New Independent Directors
Colin Browne, Natasha Chand and John Mehas Further Strengthen Board, Bringing Operational and Retail Industry Experience
Enters into Cooperation Agreement with Barington
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., November 16, 2023 – HanesBrands (NYSE: HBI) today announced that its Board of Directors (the “Board”) has appointed Colin Browne, Natasha Chand and John Mehas as independent directors to the Board, effective immediately.
Ronald L. Nelson, Chairman of the Board, said, “We are pleased to welcome Colin, Natasha and John as independent directors to the HanesBrands Board. They bring important relevant experience in retail, consumer brands and operations, and we look forward to gaining their insights as the Company continues to focus on driving improved performance and pursues key ongoing initiatives including the evaluation of alternatives for the global Champion business. The Board is fully supportive of the Company’s CEO, Steve Bratspies, as he and the broader team continue to execute on all of the Company’s strategic plans, and we are steadfast in our commitment to delivering sustainable value creation for shareholders. We are confident the addition of these directors in combination with our current directors brings together diverse perspectives that will be beneficial as the Company continues to take actions to drive accelerated growth and profitability.”
In connection with these appointments, the Company entered into a cooperation agreement with shareholder Barington Capital Group, L.P. (“Barington”). Pursuant to the agreement, Barington has agreed to customary standstill, voting and other provisions. In addition, also pursuant to the agreement, Barington will provide advisory services to the Company from time to time with respect to the Company’s business, operations, strategic and financial matters, corporate governance and the composition of the Board. The full agreement will be filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K.
James A. Mitarotonda, Chief Executive Officer of Barington, commented, “We believe this newly constituted Board is positioned to guide the Company forward in pursuing our mutual goal to create value for HanesBrands’ shareholders. We appreciate the efforts and recent actions taken by Steve Bratspies and the management team. We look forward to working with him and the Board.”
With these appointments, the Company’s Board will temporarily expand to 13 directors before returning to 10 directors effective at the 2024 annual meeting of stockholders.
Advisors
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Evercore are serving as financial advisors to HanesBrands and Jones Day and Kirkland & Ellis LLP are serving as its legal advisors.
About Colin Browne
Colin Browne is an international brand executive with over 40 years of industry experience across footwear, apparel and accessories. Most recently, Mr. Browne served as Chief Operating Officer of Under Armour from January 2020 to November 2023. During his tenure at Under Armour, which he joined in 2016, Mr. Browne also served as Interim Chief Executive Officer and President from June 2022 to February 2023 and Chief Supply Chain Officer from 2017 to 2020. He was an integral part of the company’s successful transformation and is credited with modernising Under Armour’s digital go-to market strategy and implementing supply chain capabilities that enabled the company to amplify profit margins and operating efficiency despite recent global supply challenges. Prior to his time at Under Armour, Mr. Browne was the Managing Director of Asia Sourcing for V.F. Corporation, one of the world’s largest apparel, footwear and accessories companies, that owns iconic labels including The North Face,