US furniture company MillerKnoll has announced leadership changes, including the resignation of CEO Andi Owen and the appointment of Kim Colin and Sam Hecht of London studio Industrial Facility as Herman Miller creative directors.
According to the company, Owen, who served as CEO for eight years, resigned and will take a leave of absence due to a "desire to devote greater attention to important family matters".
MillerKnoll COO Jeff Stutz will perform CEO duties in the interim until the company replaces Owen after "a comprehensive search process".
"It has been an honor to serve as CEO and to work alongside the extraordinary associates who have made MillerKnoll the company it is today," said Owen. "I am deeply proud of what we have built together and grateful for the creativity, resilience, and commitment of this team."
In 2023, Owen went viral online after telling employees to "leave pity city" after they raised concerns about receiving bonuses during a company meeting that was leaked online.
Owen began as the CEO of Herman Miller. Under Owen's leadership, Herman Miller and Knoll rebranded as MillerKnoll in 2021Â after Herman Miller acquired Knoll earlier that year. According to Business of Home, MillerKnoll's stock has lost "roughly 70 per cent of its value" since the merger.
At the same time, the company has selected Kim Colin and Sam Hecht as global creative directors for Herman Miller, which operates as an internal branch of the larger MillerKnoll merger.
The duo, who have worked with Herman Miller as consultants and design partners for over two decades, will be "champions of the brand, guiding the products, communications, and experiences" of the company.
The pair are founding partners of London-based studio Industrial Facility, which will continue to operate.
"We're taking a long view – and are thrilled to continue a Herman Miller tradition of enriching lives and contributing to culture over time. We take this responsibility to heart," said Colin on the appointment.
"Herman Miller continues to create new perspectives, because they believe, like we do, that design is very much alive," continued Hecht.
Knoll recently opened a flagship showroom in New York. At the same time, the larger company combined its many subsidiaries under one roof for Chicago Design Week last year, as the company continues to navigate the merger.
Main photo of the Morrison Hannah chair courtesy Knoll.