Grocers disclosed a number of key executive changes in December, including high-level shifts by Ahold Delhaize USA and the departure of a key retail media executive from Albertsons.
Among the changes are the appointments of a new president of Food Lion and a new chief data and information officer by Schnuck Markets. Both retailers are replacing executives who are retiring.
Here’s a roundup of notable executive shifts that took place during the final month of 2024.
1. Food Lion’s president is retiring
The East Coast grocery chain announced that longtime Food Lion President Meg Ham will retire in May after more than 10 years at the helm. Ham has worked for the grocer for over 35 years and led it to 48 straight quarters of positive sales growth.
Ham became president of Food Lion after serving in the same role at the former Bottom Dollar Food discount supermarket chain.
2. A Food Lion veteran is poised to take over the chain
Just over a week after revealing that Ham will leave Food Lion, Ahold Delhaize USA said one of her top deputies, Greg Finchum, will assume the top job at the supermarket chain. Finchum, who now serves as Food Lion’s executive vice president of retail operations, will take over as president in May, upon Ham’s retirement.
Finchum has worked for Food Lion since 1989 and held his current position for more than a decade. His appointment follows Ahold Delhaize’s announcement in September that it had named Roger Wheeler as president of Stop & Shop.
3. Albertsons loses its retail media chief
The grocer said that Kristi Argyilan, who had served as the head of Albertsons Media Collective since its launch in 2021, left the company to become global head of advertising for Uber.
Under Argyilan’s direction, Albertsons’ retail media unit became a pioneer in the grocery industry by helping establish industry standards, growing connected TV capabilities and championing innovations like Albertsons’ use of artificial intelligence for advertising.
4. Stop & Shop names a new chief merchant
The chain announced that Lee Nicholson is set to take over as executive vice president and chief merchant of the Ahold Delhaize-owned supermarket chain in early 2025.
Nicholson is moving to the chain from Ahold Delhaize USA, where he has served as senior vice president of procurement since 2021. He is joining the banner’s executive team as it looks to strengthen its operations and improve ties with shoppers after closing 32 stores during the second half of 2024.
5. Grocery Outlet gets a new CFO
The discount grocery chain said Christopher Miller will become its next finance chief on Jan. 6, nearly a year after former CFO Charles Bracher left the company. Bracher will replace interim CFO Lindsay Gray, who has served in that role since March.
Miller is joining Grocery Outlet from Shamrock Foods Company, where he spent two years as CFO. His arrival at Grocery Outlet follows the company’s announcement in October that it had appointed Eric Lindberg, chairman of the company’s board and a former CEO, as interim president and CEO following the abrupt departure of RJ Sheedy.
6. Schnucks appoints a new chief data and information officer
The Midwestern supermarket chain announced that it elevated Tom Henry to be its chief data and information officer. Henry replaced former Chief Information and Supply Chain Officer Bob Hardester, who retired on Dec. 20.
Henry was previously Schnucks’ chief data and deputy chief information officer and led the development of its advanced data and analytics organization. In his new role, he reports to Schnucks Chairman and CEO Todd Schnuck.
