Claudia Hollingsworth has 30 years of experience in consumer products, having managed manufacturers, wholesalers and multi-channel retail businesses. Since November 2016, she has served as Founder and Chief Executive Officer of i2CEO, a boutique advisory company that is engaged by companies in both the public and private sector to advise in matters of business acceleration, transition, strategy, leadership and organizational maturity.
From July 2012 to October 2016, Hollingsworth served as Chief Executive Officer of Gump’s San Francisco, a luxury home furnishing, apparel and jewelry, multi-channel retailer. Prior to that, she was President of HD Buttercup, a unique furniture marketplace with over 200,000 square feet of selling space; CEO of GBH, a boutique jewelry manufacturing company with factories in France and Peru; and she served as president and director of Michael Anthony Jewelers (MAJJ) and Chief Customer Officer at M.Z. Berger.
Earlier in her career, Hollingsworth, was Senior Vice President of OroAmerica (OROA) where she spent 12 years in positions with increased responsibility. Her contributions led to an IPO and eventually to a successful sale of the company. She credits much of her foundational merchandising experience and business discipline to her early career at Federated Department Stores and her sales training at Zale’s Jewelers.
Hollingsworth has worked with companies employing more than 800 people; has procured product in Asia, Europe, the Americas; and has experience manufacturing in Europe, the Caribbean Basin, and the Americas. She has led sales teams that sold to more than 60 countries globally and has proudly supplied to Wal-Mart, Nordstrom, QVC and other recognized leaders in American retailing.
Hollingsworth currently serves on the board and chairs the human resources/compensation committee of Purple Innovation (PRPL), the digitally native vertical brand with a mission to help people feel and live better through innovative comfort solutions. She also serves on the board of Atlas Corps an international network of social sector leaders and organizations that promotes innovation, cooperation and solutions to address the world’s 21st century challenges. The mission is to address critical social issues by developing leaders and creating global change agents.
Hollingsworth is as an advisory member of LEVERAGEDWISDOM in New York, a peer-to-peer learning organization that provides provocative content and community for entrepreneurs, owners and CEO’s of privately held businesses. She is also a CEO mentor and pitch coach for Women Founders Network in Los Angeles, which provides mentorship, visibility and capital for female founders and entrepreneurs.
Hollingsworth is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors and is recognized as a Board Leadership Fellow, and has made more than 200 appearances on QVC network and has appeared on the front page of USA Today. She currently resides in Los Angeles and New York City.
