Laura J. Alber joined Williams-Sonoma in 1995 as a buyer in the Pottery Barn subsidiary brand[2] and later rose to President of that division, serving in that capacity from 2002 to 2006.[3] Alber moved to the newly created role of President of Williams-Sonoma in 2006 where she continued her lead of Pottery Barn and the company's global supply chain, logistics, and Middle East expansion.[2]
In 2010, she was elected to the company's board and named as CEO, replacing retiring W. Howard Lester.[4] At that time, she was the 10th highest paid woman in U.S. business, with an estimated compensation of $13,555,412.[5] In 2011, the San Francisco Business Times named her one of the most influential women in San Francisco.[6]
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is a high-end American consumer retail company that sells kitchenwares, furniture and linens, as well as other housewares and home furnishings, along with a variety of specialty foods, soaps and lotions. Its international corporate headquarters are in San Francisco, California, United States.
