HSN hires longtime Walmart exec Carmen Bauza as EVP and head merchant

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Interactive multichannel retailer HSN has named Carmen Bauza as its EVP and chief merchandising officer effective Nov. 28. 

Bauza comes to HSN with more than 30 years' experience in retail and merchandising, having served in leadership positions at Walmart, L Brands (formerly Limited Brands, Inc.), Five Below, Inc. and the Walt Disney Company.  

According to a statement from HSN, Bauza will be responsible for the comprehensive management and continuous development of HSN's cross-category product portfolio - including the ongoing expansion of proprietary offerings.  Additionally, HSN says Bauza will identify strategic opportunities to enhance cross platform experiences and maximize HSN's customer reach through distributed commerce.  

"I am extremely pleased to announce the appointment of Carmen Bauza for this critical role.  She is a high caliber executive who is known as a consumer-centric brand builder and change agent," said Mindy Grossman, CEO at HSN Inc. "She will be a strong leader for our experienced merchandising and planning teams, as well as a key member of our executive committee. Carmen's belief in HSN and our unique approach to retail commerce is a testament to our future growth opportunities."

Bauza spent the past 10 years as a senior leader at Walmart, most recently serving as the senior vice president for their consumables, health and wellness merchandising division, which includes baby consumables, OTC and optical and chemical and paper goods. That division is one of the largest in the company with a multi-billion dollar sales volume.  She also had oversight of innovations and systems in that role.  

Her previous time at Walmart included serving as vice president and divisional merchandise manager for their beauty and personal care business, and was credited for the transformation for the category at Walmart. Carmen was also on the board of directors for Walmart de Mexico.

Prior to joining Walmart, she oversaw seasonal retail for L Brand's Bath and Body Works division, and was responsible for the launch of the new beauty store concept, C.O. Bigelow. Before joining L Brands, she was with Five Below, Inc. where she led all merchandising initiatives for planning, pricing, distribution and sourcing. 

During her time at the Walt Disney Company, she served as a senior merchandising executive, creating and expanding business opportunities for the company based on emerging market trends, guest demographics and psychographics and synergy opportunities.

"HSN has always been a leader in offering innovative, differentiated retail experiences to its consumers, and I am thrilled to join this dynamic brand," Bauza said. "Today's consumer is shopping across all channels, looking for convenience and accessibility, but also a reason to buy.  That's the power of the HSN platform - they build customer engagement with a mix of unique content, compelling events and a growing portfolio of proprietary products.  I've always believed that merchandising is storytelling, and I look forward to strategically growing the business through great experiences and great products."

Bauza is a graduate of Seton Hill University, where she received a BS in fashion merchandising and business management. She is a member of the board of directors for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Network of Executive Women and the Literacy Council of Benton County. She is an executive sponsor of the Hispanic and Latino Associate Resource Group.