Q&A With Top Women in Retail Honoree Fanya Chandler, President, Nordstrom Stores, Nordstrom Inc.

Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC) recently released its 16th annual Top Women in Retail report. The valuable resource highlights female executives who impressed our Editorial team as well as colleagues from across the industry. One such woman was Fanya Chandler, president, Nordstrom Stores. Here’s a sampling of Fanya’s interview featured in the report.

Women in Retail Leadership Circle: Nordstrom has long defined what exceptional service looks like in retail. As customer expectations continue to evolve, how are you innovating across stores, service models, and digital touchpoints to meet the needs of the new customer?
Fanya Chandler: The customer is at the center of everything we do, and we’re constantly evolving to meet their needs. Today’s customers expect seamless service across all touchpoints — whether in our stores, online, or through our app. We’re also investing in technology that enables our people to better serve them, whether that’s through enhanced digital selling tools or RFID technology to locate their orders. These advancements free up our employees to focus on delivering the best experiences to our customers. In our stores we provide customers with a sense of discovery and convenience, offering services like same-day pickup, easy returns, and curated events that foster community.

WIRLC: You’ve built your career within Nordstrom, rising through store leadership into the company’s top ranks. What were the pivotal experiences or decisions that prepared you to lead the entire Stores organization, and what advice would you give to emerging leaders who want to follow a similar path?
FC: My journey at Nordstrom began more than three decades ago on the sales floor, and after nearly 35 years I’m still proud to say I work at the mall. Every step along the way has shaped my approach to leadership. The most pivotal experiences were those where I was challenged to step outside my comfort zone, whether leading a new team, managing a new store, or navigating significant changes in the way that customers shop. Each opportunity taught me the importance of listening, embracing feedback, and remaining flexible. My journey down Nordstrom’s “inverted pyramid” required building relationships and staying true to our legacy of service.

To emerging leaders, I would say be curious, seek out diverse experiences, and never underestimate the power of hard work and empathy. Leadership is about serving others, lifting your team, and being open to learning at every stage of your career.

WIRLC: What bold leadership move has had the biggest impact on your team and/or organization in the past year?
FC: One of the most significant moves I helped support was accelerating our focus on cross-functional collaboration, including breaking down silos between stores, digital teams and service operations. Throughout this process, I emphasized that our focus should center on the customer and we should be working together towards our mission to help customers feel good and look their best. By fostering a culture where ideas flow freely and teams work together toward shared goals, we’ve improved agility across the organization. This shift not only enhanced our ability to respond quickly to changing customer needs but also empowered our employees to take ownership and drive results.