AlixPartners adds veteran retail consultant Justin MacFarlane

AlixPartners has hired Justin MacFarlane as a partner and managing director in its global retail practice.

Based in New York, MacFarlane has nearly 30 years of leadership experience in consulting and as a C-suite executive at large retailers. He has expertise transforming companies for growth, leading operational improvements, and driving digital transformation initiatives.

MacFarlane previously was EVP and chief customer officer at Ascena Retail Group, where he was responsible for digital, stores, technology, analytics, and strategy. Before that, he was chief strategy, analytics, and innovation officer at Macy’s, where he led a transformation office focusing on margin expansion, inventory efficiency, cost management, and operational streamlining.

Prior to that, MacFarlane was SVP of corporate strategy at Ann Inc. (now under the Ascena umbrella). Between 2006 and 2010, he was a director at AlixPartners.

Earlier in his career, MacFarlane was a partner at retail consultancy Kurt Salmon Associates (now Accenture), a partner at Clarkston Consulting, and a consultant at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture).

MacFarlane holds an MBA from Duke University and a bachelor’s degree in management information systems and quantitative methods from Babson College.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Justin back to AlixPartners. His deep experience in broad-scale transformations, both on the growth side and the cost side and both as a retailer as well as a consultant, make him exceptionally valuable to our clients in these unprecedently disruptive times in this industry,” said David Bassuk, global head of the retail practice at AlixPartners.

AlixPartners completed numerous high-profile turnaround and restructuring projects for large retailers globally. Its engagements since the Covid-19 pandemic include work with JC Penney, Nordstrom, Macy’s, and Bed Bath & Beyond.