Ep 200: Saks-Neiman Marcus Merger: No Merchant Leadership, No Success

We'd love to have your feedback and ideas for future episodes of Retail Unwrapped. Just text us!Guest: Mark A. Cohen, former Director of Retail Studies at Columbia Business School and former CEO of Sears Canada. What’s the back story on the Saks-Neiman Marcus merger? Will it survive? Could it be retail’s next colossal failure?Mergers and acquisitions in the retail industry have a high failure rate, which begs the obvious question if this deal is a viable strategy for the two luxury brands. Join Mark and Shelley as they debate the leadership decisions at Hudson Bay and Saks Global and if this is another desperate example of the last-man-standing rationale rather than a visionary move. The absence of strong merchant leadership in both companies may be its ultimate downfall.  While the FTC shouldn’t have a problem with the merger, there are growing concerns about the financial integrity of Saks, most notably since the company isn’t paying its vendors, the lifeblood of a luxury designer brand. Listen in and get the full story about the turmoil behind the merger.For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.