Gap’s North American president steps down

Gap Inc. said today that Marka Hansen, president of Gap North America, will leave the company this week. Her last day is Friday. The multichannel apparel retailer, No. 23 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide, plans to name a successor from inside the company this week.

Gap did not say why Hansen, who has held her job since 2007, was leaving. But she was one of the executives behind the launch last year of Gap’s proposed new logo. Intense criticism greeted the new logo from both design experts and consumers, some of whom vented on Facebook. The response forced Gap to reinstate its old logo and Hansen to promise that any new logo change would be handled differently.

“After several conversations, Marka and I agreed this was the right time for a change in the organization in order to take the Gap brand to a new level,” says Glenn Murphy, Gap’s chairman and CEO. “I am grateful for all that Marka has contributed to the company.”

Gap in November reported that third quarter web sales increased 15% year over year. The retailer plans to report its January sales Thursday and its fourth quarter earnings Feb. 24.