Dive Brief:
- Kroger last week named Emilee De Martino as its new executive vice president and chief people officer.
- De Martino, who previously worked for McDonald’s Corp., succeeds Tim Massa, who is retiring in mid-September after nearly 16 years at Kroger, per his LinkedIn profile.
- De Martino marks the first C-suite change since CEO Greg Foran’s arrival in February.
Dive Insight:
De Martino, like Foran, wants to spend time in company stores and facilities to learn the business.
“As I begin this new role, I am eager to spend time in stores, distribution centers, manufacturing facilities, and offices – meeting associates, listening, learning and getting to know the teams who make Kroger such a special place,” De Martino wrote in a LinkedIn post.
De Martino most recently served as McDonald’s senior vice president and chief people officer for international operated markets. In that role, she led people strategy across 19 countries and worked closely with business leaders to drive growth and elevate the employee experience, according to the press release. During her eight years with the company, De Martino shaped McDonald’s People Brand Standards and Values and helped the fast food chain achieve record-level restaurant crew retention across its international businesses, the announcement noted.
“Emilee is a proven leader with a track record of building strong people organizations at scale,” Foran said in a statement. “Her experience leading transformation across one of the world’s largest workforces, combined with her commitment to developing talent, makes her exceptionally well-suited to lead the next chapter of our people work at Kroger.”
Before entering the food retail industry, De Martino held leadership positions at finance companies CNA Insurance and Mercer, per her LinkedIn profile.
Since February, the company has parted ways with two senior vice presidents of retail divisions and its global vice president of the Kroger Capability Center.
