There are concerns at Abercrombie from "a leadership vacuum perspective", Tiburon's Wilson said. Potential successors who left in the past decade include Robert Singer, who decamped to pasta-maker Barilla; Tom Mendenhall, now chief operating officer of Tom Ford International; Mark Breitbard, president of Gap's North American division; and Chad Kessler, chief merchandising officer at Urban Outfitters. Kessler's exit in 2010 particularly surprised employees, as he was viewed as the most likely successor. Lead independent director Stapleton said the company has both short and long-term succession plans, both of which are reviewed regularly. Abercrombie "has a great number of talented individuals throughout all key operational areas", Stapleton said. "The talent pool for successors, not only of the CEO but also other key executives, is deep."