Albertsons announced Monday that it has added two leaders to its company board of directors — including one who previously served on the grocery giant’s board.
Lisa Gray is vice chair and senior legal officer for Cerberus Operations & Advisory Company, a division within Cerberus Capital Management, the private equity firm that held a stake in Albertsons for more than a decade until the grocer went public in 2020. Gray is also a member of Cerberus’ office of general counsel and has more than three decades of experience in “structuring and negotiating complex mergers and acquisitions,” the announcement noted.
Gray assumed the board role on Nov. 21.
Gray previously served on Albertsons’ board of directors beginning in July 2014, according to a company regulatory filing, and ending when it made its initial public offering. She also serves on the boards of various other companies that Cerberus is involved with, the announcement said. From 2011 to 2019, she served on the board of NexTier Oilfield, formerly known as the Keane Group, according to a recent filing by Albertsons.
Albertsons has also named Sarah Mensah to its board of directors. Mensah currently serves as president of the Jordan brand for Nike, overseeing all business operations for the storied brand. Before joining Nike in 2013, she worked as senior vice president and chief operating officer of the NBA’s Portland Trailblazers. She spent 19 years working for the team and is credited with leading its rebranding efforts.
Mensah has received numerous awards, including being named a “Top Executive in Marketing and Advertising” by Black Enterprise magazine and as one of Adweek’s “50 Most Powerful Women in Sports.” She serves on the board of North Pole Studios and the International Women’s Foundation.
With the appointments of Gray and Mensah, Albertsons’ board has expanded to include 11 members.
“Sarah’s reputation for elevating brand value by thoughtfully challenging the status quo and championing innovation, along with Lisa’s proven track record in corporate transactions, governance and leadership, will benefit our business, customers, and shareholders,” Vivek Sankaran, CEO of Albertsons Cos., said in a statement. “They each bring a unique skill set and expertise that will continue to drive success at Albertsons as we execute our transformation strategy in 2024.
