The recently appointed Pick n Pay group CEO, Sean Summers, has taken a crucial step in revitalizing the company for growth in 2024 by assembling his senior leadership team. Summers has formed a Group of Executives comprising of six members with a diverse range of expertise, as announced by the retailer.
The newly appointed executive team includes Lerena Olivier as Group CFO, Thembi Mbengashe as Chief People Officer, and Hazel Pillay as Managing Executive for Clothing. Additionally, Dallas Langman has been introduced in the newly established role of Managing Executive of the Pick n Pay Retail Division. Johan Grobler will assume leadership for Rest of Africa, taking over from Dallas, and will also handle additional responsibilities for Value Added Services and Tomis, the recently acquired meat-producing and processing facility.
Marek Masojada continues in his role as Boxer Managing Executive. Summers stated: “These changes will provide us with a clear focus on our objectives. This involves appointing a dedicated head of Retail, regionalizing our Retail division for a sharper customer focus, and establishing a dedicated Commercial section to concentrate on our products across the retail spectrum.”
Summers emphasized that the new Pick n Pay Retail division will concentrate on retail operations at Pick n Pay, which requires significant attention. PnP Retail will function as a standalone business, encompassing Franchises. This shift means that the actual trading within franchises will fall under the Retail division.
“With six reports, I can now concentrate effectively on the next three years and lay the groundwork for the future,” Summers remarked. “The new structure ensures clear leadership across our business, led by seasoned professionals.”
In October 2023, Pick n Pay announced the departure of Pieter Boone as the company’s group CEO, with Summers taking over. Summers, who served as Pick n Pay’s CEO from 1999 to 2007, successfully positioned the company as a grocery market leader during his tenure.
Under Boone’s leadership, Pick n Pay faced challenges, with earnings and revenue trailing behind competitors. The company reported a significant loss for the six months ending on 27 August 2023 (H1 FY24) due to load-shedding expenses and employee restructuring in its core supermarket business.
Despite external challenges, Pick n Pay’s rivals, such as Shoprite and Woolworths, maintained strong trading performances, experiencing revenue growth. Summers acknowledged that Pick n Pay’s core business had lost its competitive edge, citing a lag in products, presentation, and variety compared to the market.
Despite the current situation, Summers remains optimistic about Pick n Pay’s future. “I believe that with the right strategic approach, we can reclaim our position in the marketplace,” he expressed.
