Dive Brief:
- Albertsons has named Brian Monahan as the new head of its retail media business following the departure of Kristi Argyilan in December, according to a Thursday emailed announcement.
- Monahan joins Albertsons Media Collective as senior vice president of retail media from global marketing and communications company Dentsu, where he led retail media strategy for nearly eight years.
- Monahan’s appointment comes after a number of executive changes at Albertsons tied to its retail media arm, including naming its first-ever chief commercial officer.
Dive Insight:
Albertsons is looking to Monahan to continue the recent momentum of its retail media arm, which has included expanding advertiser partnerships and enhancing its closed-loop capabilities, the company said in its emailed announcement.
Monahan’s appointment is part of the company’s plans to advance its “Customers for Life” strategy, which emphasizes deeper relationships with consumers no matter where they shop, and accelerate the growth of Albertsons Media Collective.
Monhan’s entire nearly 30-year career has centered on media and marketing strategies, per his LinkedIn profile. In addition to holding an executive leadership position at Dentsu, Monahan has also served as head of consumer strategy at Pinterest and vice president of marketing at Walmart’s online business in the U.S.
Albertsons has seen a slew of executive changes since late 2024, from Argyilan’s departure to Uber to Susan Morris’ appointment as CEO in May.
In late May, Albertsons announced in a blog post a new leadership structure aimed at driving growth under the leadership of Morris. The company announced six key leadership transitions, including naming Jennifer Saenz as the grocery company’s first-ever chief commercial officer. This expanded role for Saenz includes overseeing digital experiences, marketing and loyalty, and Albertsons Media Collective, per the blog post.
Omer Gajial, who most recently served as chief merchandising and digital officer and temporarily took over for Argyilan as interim head of Albertsons Media Collective, announced his departure to “take on new opportunities outside the company.”
