Woolworths has appointed British-trained Claire Peters, who has more than 20 years’ experience in retail, to head up its supermarkets division, effective July 1. The supermarket executive is currently Tesco’s Thailand Chief Operating Officer.
The appointment will allow Woolworths Chief Executive Brad Banducci to concentrate on broader company strategy and he will continue to have a “leadership role” in the key supermarkets division, which has been affected by the revival of Coles and the growing strength of low-cost Aldi. Woolworths has been clawing back some market share in its core supermarkets business, but it has come at a cost of declining margins.
The appointment is a big step up for Peters, from a business turning over about $6 billion, to running a $35bn business in a highly competitive developed market.
Woolworths’ supermarket division has more than 115,000 staff with 992 supermarkets and the Australian business is almost six times the size of Tesco Thailand’s business in revenue terms.
Peters has worked with Tesco since graduating with a BSc in economics and psychology. She held store manager roles at Tesco before being made Managing Director of its large stores, and then commercial director of its health care, baby, beauty and toiletries division and then COO of its Thailand business.
Peters said she was “excited to be joining Woolworths and leading an experienced, nationwide team of retailers. Successful retailers put their customers first and I look forward to continuing to drive Woolworths’ customer-led strategy.”
The group, which is offloading its troubled Masters Home Improvement business, is also said to be looking to sell its discount department store business, Big W, following the sudden exit of CEO Sally Macdonald last November.
