Systemax Inc. (NYSE: SYX), Port Washington, New York, on Monday announced the appointment of Claudia Hughes to senior vice president and chief sales officer, effective immediately.

In this newly created position, Hughes will report to Barry Litwin, CEO of Systemax, the parent company of industrial distributor Global Industrial. Hughes “will be responsible for sales and customer initiatives across Global Industrial’s U.S. and Canadian managed sales teams, and increasing sales effectiveness throughout the company,” the company said.

“Claudia is a proven leader with a collaborative approach and great experience in developing, executing and achieving sales goals, especially in the U.S. B2B marketplace,” Litwin said. “Her customer-centric approach, along with extensive expertise in B2B sales and operations, make her a strong addition to our team.”

Added Hughes: “This is an exciting opportunity to join a proven and growing leader in the industrial and MRO marketplace. Systemax has built an impressive e-commerce platform and strong managed sales organization that delivers significant value to customers. I look forward to working with the Systemax team to capitalize on our growth opportunities and drive our sales strategy.”

Hughes most recently served as senior vice president, U.S. field sales, at Office Depot and previously held the position of vice president, business solutions division. She began her career at OfficeMax where she held a number of positions.