Nigel Travis, chair of the board at Abercrombie & Fitch was named “Independent Director of the Year” today by Corporate Board Member as part of the magazine’s 7th annual Board Leadership Awards, presented in partnership with AlixPartners.
Travis was recognized by a distinguished panel of public company board members for his efforts helping lead a dramatic turnaround at the retailer. He joined the board in 2019, and since becoming chair in 2023, shares in the company have more than quadrupled in value—and more than doubled the industry overall—amid a spate of geopolitical trade shocks that have deeply impacted the sector. He is the former CEO and chair of Dunkin’ Brands Group and served on the boards of Advance Auto Parts and Office Depot.
Travis is one of three honorees this year’s committee recognized for their work. The others are:
The board of GE Aerospace is recognized with the Courage in the Boardroom honor for their exceptional leadership driving one of the most important corporate restructurings of the 21st century—the successful separation of GE into three focused companies, which delivered outsized shareholder returns and created a blueprint for corporate transformations in the industrials sector.
Mary Jo White is recognized with the Greatest Impact on Corporate Boards honor for her decades of leadership in governance reform and steadfast enforcement in shareholder battles. As former SEC Chair, she played a key role in launching the agency’s efforts toward the universal proxy card and advancing accountability on Wall Street. Now at Debevoise & Plimpton, she continues to advise on high-stakes matters involving contested board elections and regulatory compliance, particularly in the Southern District of New York.
The awards will be presented in person on Sept. 18 during Corporate Board Member‘s 21st annual Boardroom Summit at the Park Hyatt in Washington DC, followed by a panel discussion with Travis, White and Jake Phillips, general counsel and secretary, GE Aerospace. For more information or to register for the event: https://boardmember.com/boardroomsummit/
“This is an extraordinary group of leaders,” said Jamie Tassa, publisher, Corporate Board Member. “They are truly great examples of excellence in the board governance community at a time when that matters more than ever.”
Adds Joe Shalleck, partner & managing director, AlixPartners, who acts as a special advisor to the judges throughout the process: “This year’s honorees have done amazing work on some of the most important and high-profile corporate governance efforts of our time. They showcase why boards—and great board members—are so vital in our society.”
About the Selection Committee
What makes the Board Leadership Awards unique is that they are selected by a peer group of exceptional, experienced public company directors. The 2025 selection committee includes: Merit Janow, chair of Mastercard and our 2024 Director of the Year; Dale Wolf, chair of Molina Healthcare and our 2024 Courage In The Boardroom recipient; Larry Kellner, an experienced director who accepted our Courage In The Boardroom award in 2023 for Marriott; John Lundgren, Chair, Visa, director, Callaway Golf and our 2023 Director of the Year; Lionel Nowell, lead independent director at Bank of America and our 2022 Director of the Year; Maria Sastre, Board Member, General Mills and O’Reilly Auto Parts; Mike White, Board Member, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Former Board Member, Whirlpool Corp. and Kimberly-Clark, Former Chair and CEO, DIRECTV.
