Pick n Pay appoints former Woolies Food boss as CEO-designate

Spencer Sonn to take over from Sean Summers in May 2028. Pick n Pay has appointed Spencer Sonn as CEO-designate. He will join the retailer on 1 February 2027 and take over from CEO Sean Summers in May 2028. It says Sonn has more than three decades of “retail leadership experience across South Africa and New Zealand”. He was previously MD of Woolworths Food during a 26-year career at that retailer and had a four-year stint as MD of Woolworths New Zealand (there is no link between the two companies). Most recently, Sonn served as chief customer officer at Woolworths and departed the group at the end of June following a shake-up under new CEO Sam Ngumeni. Coincidentally, Ngumeni also ran the Food division at Woolworths until his recent appointment as Group CEO. Pick n Pay says Sonn will work closely with Summers “as part of a planned and orderly leadership transition that will support continuity and the continued execution of the group’s strategy. “The board is confident that Spencer’s extensive local and international retail experience, proven leadership capability, and deep understanding of the food and grocery sector position him well to build on the significant progress made in the group’s turnaround.” The retailer adds that Sonn brings a wealth of retail knowledge and a proven track record of leadership in challenging conditions in New Zealand to the group. “His experience abroad is particularly valuable given similarities to Pick n Pay’s operations in that it encompassed both Franchise and Corporate stores, and 22 000 employees.” Summers says, “Throughout our engagements, Spencer has expressed enormous admiration for the values and founding principles that Pick n Pay was built on. He considers it a privilege to be joining a brand, a business and a team that plays such a vital role in the lives of millions of South Africans. “We are in the very fortunate position of being able to appoint a highly skilled executive of Spencer’s calibre. In his previous positions, he demonstrated his outstanding talent as a leader and was the architect of much of his former company’s food-retailing success. He is an exceptionally worthy leader for Pick n Pay.” Sonn says, “This is an exciting challenge for me after working across every part of grocery retailing. I am looking forward to working closely with Sean. Pick n Pay is a strong, much-loved brand with enormous potential and a motivated, loyal workforce. I am looking forward to playing my part in continuing the turnaround and being part of the family.” One of Summers’s key performance indicators under his employment contract was to identify a successor before it ends in 2028. The group says, “this gives ample time for Sonn to settle into executive leadership and work with Summers on the company’s turnaround”. This article was republished from Moneyweb. Read the original here.