Kroger has appointed Emilee De Martino to replace Tim Massa, the company’s former EVP and Chief Associate Experience Officer who last month announced his plans to retire on Sept. 18.
De Martino was previously SVP and Chief People Officer for International Operated Markets at McDonald’s Corporation. She led people strategy across 19 countries and for more than 750,000 employees, according to a news release.
“Emilee is a proven leader with a track record of building strong people organizations at scale,” said Greg Foran, CEO of Cincinnati-based Kroger, who was appointed in February. “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.”
De Martino fostered a people-first culture at McDonald’s over eight years, and accomplished “record levels” of restaurant employee retention in her international division, said the release. Before joining McDonald’s, De Martino was VP of Change and Culture at CNA Financial Corporation and worked in management consulting at Accenture and Mercer.
De Martino will begin her time at Kroger by meeting with associates in stores, distribution centers, manufacturing facilities and offices across the country.
“Kroger is one of the most respected companies in America, with a long-standing commitment to its associates and the communities it serves,” said De Martino. “I am honored to join an organization where people are central to the strategy and excited to work with associates across the business to continue building Kroger as an employer of choice.”
Kroger’s Recent Acquisition and Executive Moves
Since former Walmart U.S. CEO Greg Foran joined Kroger in February, there have been several executive changes: SVP Valerie Jabbar retired from the company after a 38-year run, and Global VP of the Kroger Capability Center Jamie Lancaster announced on LinkedIn that he was leaving the retailer after 18 years.
In April, Kroger’s former SVP of Retail Divisions Joe Kelley was appointed COO at Associated Wholesale Grocers.
Following the company’s Q1 earnings call where Foran outlined his growth strategy for Kroger, the company announced plans to acquire regional grocer Giant Eagle for $1.65 billion — its largest M&A deal since its attempt to acquire Albertsons.
