Alison Loehnis Joins JP Morgan Consumer, Retail Investment Banking Arm

LONDON — Alison Loehnis has joined JP Morgan as a senior adviser in the consumer and retail investment banking team and will focus on luxury and lifestyle brands sector.

She was tapped by Jeannette Smits van Oyen, global head of consumer and retail investment banking at JP Morgan, and began work earlier this month. She is based in London.

Smits van Oyen said Loehnis’ “extensive leadership experience, global network and industry relationships will provide invaluable insight as we continue to strengthen our investment banking franchise across brand sub-verticals.”

She added that the bank has been advising “across a range of industry-defining transactions across sub-verticals over the past 24 months, including the take-private of Skechers; sale of Valentino to Kering, and sale of Rhode to E.l.f. While each transaction and each sub-vertical carries its own specific dynamic, the interconnectivity between them has become increasingly apparent.” 

Smits van Oyen continued: “We look forward to working with Alison to enhance our sector expertise, deepen our network and relationships across the industry and accelerate idea generation for future opportunities.”

As reported, Loehnis left her role as president and ad interim chief executive officer of Yoox Net-a-porter group earlier this year. She spent 18 years at YNAP, which has since become part of Mytheresa’s publicly quoted parent company, LuxExperience.

LuxExperience picked up Yoox Net-a-porter for 555 million euros and a 100 million-euro credit facility from Compagnie Financière Richemont. In return, it handed Richemont a 33 percent stake in the wider luxury ecommerce company. 

Loehnis’ tenure at YNAP was long — and eventful — with launches, mergers and corporate deals that went through — and fell through.

Loehnis, who cut her creative and commercial teeth at companies as diverse as Thomas Pink and The Walt Disney Co., joined Net-a-porter in 2007 as vice president of sales and marketing. She rose to the role of president in 2011.

During her long tenure she spearheaded some of the digital retail group’s biggest projects, heading the development of Mr Porter in 2011 and playing a key role in the launch of The Outnet, the group’s discount site.

She also introduced new categories, such as fine jewelry, expanded the group’s markets, and was celebrated as a leader in the digital luxury world.

As ad interim CEO she helmed YNAP as it prepared to be sold to Farfetch and Mohamed Alabbar. That deal was supposed to be completed by the end of 2023, but Richemont killed it after Farfetch was placed into administration, and later rescued by Coupang.

After the deal fell through, Loehnis stayed on until another buyer for YNAP could be found.