Demos Parneros has been named chief operating officer of Barnes & Noble.
In his new role, which is effective immediately, Parneros will work on all of the company’s businesses including everything from store operations and merchandising to e-commerce and real estate. He will report to Len Riggio, chairman and CEO of Barnes & Noble.
Parneros comes to the bookseller from Staples, where he had served as president of North American Stores & Online. He has 30 years of of retail management leadership experience. He began his career at Staples as general manager of the chain’s first New York City store in 1987 and rose through the ranks to lead a team of 50,000 associates.
“We couldn’t be happier to have Demos join Barnes & Noble, given his wealth of experience in specialty retail,” stated Riggio. “We believe his enviable track record will lend itself well to our priorities to grow our business.”
Parneros holds a Bachelor’s degree in management from New York University and graduated from Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program.