Former Paramount executive Pam Kaufman has unveiled her first major hire at Gap Inc., naming fellow Paramount veteran Lourdes Arocho senior vp & head of licensing as part of the company’s “fashiontainment” push. Reporting to Kaufman, executive vp and chief entertainment officer, she will start her role on Friday, based at the company’s Los Angeles office.

Arocho is tasked with helping lead its “next chapter of licensing growth,” the company said. “As Gap Inc. continues to build momentum, the company is evolving how its brands connect with customers through partnerships, experiences, and licensing that deepen engagement, unlock new revenue streams, and drive long-term growth.”  

In her role, she will lead licensing across Gap’s brands, including Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta, in partnerships, brand extensions, and direct-to-retail opportunities that “connect the company more deeply to entertainment, sports, and the cultural moments shaping conversation today,” Gap said. “Arocho will help strengthen how Gap Inc. builds and manages relationships across the entertainment ecosystem, bringing greater focus and consistency to partnerships with leading studios, creators, retailers, and brands. Her work will support major cultural moments with standout merchandise and experiences that extend beyond traditional retail.”

Emphasized Kaufman: “Great brands do not just show up in culture, they help shape it. Licensing is both a meaningful growth driver and a powerful way to keep our brands in the cultural conversation. We see our stores as stages – places where stories come to life, major moments are amplified, and customers can engage with great product and experiences in new ways.”

Arocho’s past experience includes licensing and consumer products leadership roles at Nickelodeon, NBCUniversal and, most recently, Paramount Global, where she served as senior vp, global consumer products and franchise management. In that role, she led licensing and franchise strategy across such entertainment properties as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, SpongeBob SquarePants, Top Gun: Maverick, Yellowstone, and PAW Patrol.