Discount retailer Big Lots has named former Abercrombie & Fitch CFO Jonathan Ramsden as its new finance chief, replacing Timothy Johnson.

Ramsden’s appointment marks his return to the retail business after stepping down as Abercrombie’s chief operating officer in June 2016. He has spent the past two years writing a book, teaching at Ohio State University, and founding his own consulting firm, Sappleton Advisors.

Big Lots said Ramsden will join the Columbus, Ohio-based company on Aug. 5, with Johnson — who has served as CFO since 2012 — staying on through Labor Day to help with the transition.

“We are excited to welcome a leader of Jonathan’s breadth of knowledge to Big Lots as we continue to transform and more competitively position the business for long-term success,” CEO Bruce Thorn said in a news release.

“Jonathan’s extensive experience in financial management, strategy and operations, along with his deep knowledge of the retail industry, make him an ideal fit for our organization,” he added.

Ramsden’s experience includes more than seven years at Abercrombie, where he was initially hired as CFO in 2008. Before joining Abercrombie, he was finance chief at global marketing services group TBWA Worldwide from 1998 to 2008.

“I am excited about the opportunity to join the Big Lots team and apply my experience building and growing 21st century retail businesses,” he said.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Ramsden took a career break after leaving Abercrombie to “research and write a book examining the social and political history of the twentieth century through its impact on the lives of the direct ancestors of my children.”

Since August 2018, he has taught classes as an adjunct professor at Ohio State’s Fisher School of Business.

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