Specialty retailer Francesca's Holdings has named specialty retailing veteran Michael W. Barnes as chairman, president and chief executive officer.

Barnes succeeds Neill Davis, who has resigned as president, chief executive officer and a director. Greg Brenneman, chairman of the board since 2010, has been named lead director.

Barnes joins Francesca's after serving as chief executive officer of Signet Jewelers where he led the $1.46 billion acquisition of Zale, which transformed Signet into the largest specialty jewelry retailer in the U.S., the U.K. and Canada.

Prior to Signet, Barnes spent more than 25 years in increasingly senior roles at Fossil Group.