Millard Drexler

Millard "Mickey" S. Drexler (born August 17, 1944) is an American businessman and investor, currently CEO of Alex Mill, and head of Drexler Ventures. He was formerly the CEO and chairman of J.Crew Group, as well as the CEO of Gap Inc. Early life and education Born to Jewish parents in the Bronx, his mother died when he was 16. He studied at the Bronx High School of Science, City College of New York, and University at Buffalo. He later received an MBA from Boston University. Career In the mid-1970s, Drexler was a merchandising vice-president at Abraham & Straus in Brooklyn, New York. He has also worked at Ann Taylor, Bloomingdale's, and Macy's. He was on Apple Inc’s board of directors from 1999 until 2015. Gap Inc. Drexler is often credited with Gap's meteoric rise during the 1990s. Prior to his involvement, Gap had been a relatively small chain selling private and public brands. Under Drexler the company made a dramatic shift to private label brand merchandise and expanded rapidly to become an iconic part of 1990s pop culture, such as "khakis, basics and casual Fridays". Television advertisements featuring songs such as "Mellow Yellow" and "Dress You Up in My Love" showcased the relaxed American casual look that defined the Gap brand.