Coles has announced the appointment of Amanda McVay as its new chief customer officer.
McVay, originally from the US, steps into the role after former CMO Lisa Ronson left the business nine months ago.
The supermarket giant reportedly went on a global search for the right candidate to fill the role before choosing McVay. In the role, she will lead Coles’ development and execution of marketing, brand and customer communication strategies.
McVay joins Coles Group from American supermarket centre chain Meijer. She has been with the company for over 11 years, serving as group vice president, head of marketing, digital, customer strategy and own brand, and group vice president of merchandising and grocery.
Before her tenure at Meijer, McVay worked at Target in a range of commercial and merchandising portfolios.
She has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, and in 2022 completed the Leadership for Senior Executive Programme at Harvard Business School. She is also a former elite junior tennis player and held a tennis scholarship at the Indiana University during her undergraduate degree.
McVay’s appointment comes after Ronson, Coles’ then chief marketing officer, announced her departure from the company after joining in 2019.
Back in August, she took to LinkedIn and wrote: “It’s with sadness today that I announce I’ve decided to move on from Coles Group to pursue a number of exciting new career interests. I would like to express my thanks for all the support and opportunities Coles has given me over the past 3 and half years.
“Being part of Coles’s success during some very challenging times and seeing the company grow into one of Australia’s most trusted brands is something I feel immensely proud to have been a part of.”
See also: The Growth D_Stillery Vodcast: Lisa Ronson on creativity and the power of marketing
See also: Lisa Ronson reveals plans to exit Coles
McVay will relocate from the US to Melbourne with her husband and their two sons in the coming months. She will commence in the role on 13 June.
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Top image: Amanda McVay