Maly Bernstein is Bath & Body Works’ chief commercial officer. It’s a big job—overseeing stores, distribution, loyalty, and digital for the $7.3 billion retailer of scented soaps, candles, lotions, and more. Late last month, we connected as she was finalizing an important launch for the company: its own
presence on Amazon, a major channel it had not previously utilized.
I also wanted to talk to Bernstein about a trend she is part of. Before she was Bath & Body Works’ chief commercial officer, she was CEO of Bluemercury, the prestige beauty retailer. Bluemercury is a much smaller scale than Bath & Body Works, and it’s owned by Macy’s, so Bernstein was part of a larger team there too. But still, she’s an example of female ex-CEOs who are taking jobs other than chief executive as the next step in their career.
It’s a trend that was noticed at OpenAI, where Fidji Simo joined as OpenAI’s CEO of Applications after serving as CEO of
Instacart; Sarah Friar joined as CFO after running Nextdoor; and Denise Dresser became chief revenue officer after serving as CEO of Slack (within Salesforce). My former colleague Beth Kowitt wrote
a great analysis for Bloomberg in December, in which she said that the “women of OpenAI are sending a message.” This was around the same time that LeanIn.org’s research on a growing “ambition gap” among women
ruffled some feathers.
So what is that message exactly? Women are defining ambition on their own terms. Title is not the top measure of success, purpose, or job satisfaction. At OpenAI, it’s pretty clear why executives with any level of experience would want to get on board—it’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to be part of (and benefit from) a world-changing company. But the same themes can hold true at more traditional businesses.
When I asked Bernstein why she would seek out a non-CEO job after serving as CEO, she had considered her answer before. “You’re asking the same question my eldest son asked me,” she said. She told me that she “thought more about impact, as opposed to worrying about title.” She’s “much more driven by purpose,” she said. Bath & Body Works is in a transformation period, so for an exec who likes to execute change, it’s an appealing place to have an impact right now.
But here’s an important caveat: Careers aren’t linear. “Where it takes me from here—who knows?” Bernstein said.
Right now, we’re seeing top female executives seek out the best opportunities without getting hung up on title or ego. When the future of work is changing so fast, every day, it’s a lesson for the rest of us. Be open-minded—and look for impact.
Emma Hinchliffeemma.hinchliffe@fortune.comThe Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter is Fortune’
s daily briefing for and about the women leading the business world. Subscribe here. 
