Destination XL Group (DXL), the specialty retailer of big and tall men’s clothing and shoes, has appointed its chairman Lionel Conacher as interim CEO.

The appointment follows the previously announced retirement of Harvey Kanter, which was effective on Tuesday.

Conacher will continue to be chairman of the board, a position he has held since August 2020, as he takes on the temporary role while the board searches for a permanent replacement.

“We are executing a clear strategy to return the company to profitability against a challenging market backdrop, taking decisive action to reduce our cost structure and evolve our assortment, promotional strategy and customer experience to better meet the needs of our consumer today,” said Conacher.

“I look forward to working alongside our talented leadership team to continue building on the success of these efforts to date and advancing our key strategic priorities – our FitMap rollout, investing in AI and responding to increasing GLP-1 usage – to bolster our strong foundation for future growth.”

Kanter had been CEO of the company since 2019. Last year, he oversaw the merger agreement between DXL and FullBeauty Brands, which offers inclusive fashions for both plus-size men and women. 

The two companies said at the time that the deal would unite complementary brands and channels to create a larger and stronger business that better serves its targeted customers, with approximately $1.2 billion of combined annual sales.  

However, DXL last month said it no longer believed the tie-up was in the best interest of its shareholders, citing FullBeauty’s debt load and other concerns about its equity value. 

Earlier this year, DXL received a takeover proposal from Zodiac Partners II, but urged its shareholders to reject the offer, saying it was “highly conditional and opportunistic” and failed to reflect the company’s underlying value.