The Luxury Education Foundation is delighted to host a series of evening conversations with luxury experts at Columbia Business School, featuring guest speakers from the industry and other relevant industries.
LEF presents the first LEF “Conversations on Luxury” featuring a special conversation between the legendary BURT TANSKY, Chairman & former CEO of Neiman Marcus, known industry-wide as "Mr. Luxury", and BRIDGET FOLEY, Executive Editor of Women’s Wear Daily.
Burt Tansky
Mr. Tansky is currently the non-executive Chairman of the Board of Neiman Marcus since October 2010. Prior to this, Mr. Tansky served as President & CEO and Chairman of the Board of the Neiman Marcus Group since 2004. Previous to this, Mr. Tansky has been with the Neiman Marcus Group since 1990, serving as Chairman and President of the Neiman Marcus Stores, and Chairman and CEO of Bergdorf Goodman. Prior to joining the Neiman Marcus Group, Mr. Tansky was President of Saks Fifth Avenue from 1980 – 1989.
The Neiman Marcus Group is recognized as a premier luxury retailer, comprised of the Specialty Retail Stores division - which includes Neiman Marcus Stores and Bergdorf Goodman - and the Direct Marketing division, Neiman Marcus Direct, which includes online retailers CUSP and Horchow. These renowned retailers offer upscale assortments of apparel, accessories, jewelry, beauty and decorative home products to the affluent consumer. The Company operates 41 Neiman Marcus Stores across the United States, two Bergdorf Goodman stores in Manhattan, and thirty Last Call clearance centers. These store operations total more than 6 million gross square feet. The total revenues for the group are estimated at $4.5 billion.
Mr. Tansky graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and has spent his entire career in retailing, holding positions at Kaufman's department stores, Filene’s, Rike’s, and I. Magnin. Mr. Tansky also formerly served on the board of directors of International Flavors and Fragrances Inc.
Mr. Tansky was appointed “Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur” by the French Government in 2002, and was awarded the Gold Medal for Retailer of the Year by the National Retail Federation in 2004.
Mr. Tansky is very active in a number of charities nationwide.
Bridget Foley
Bridget Foley is Executive Editor and chief fashion critic of WWD, for 100 years the paper of record to the fashion industry. Over the years she has covered the precious and proletarian alike, markets from haute couture and high jewelry to junior sportswear and special sizes. She has collaborated on books with Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford and star hairstylist Serge Normant.
