Managing Director of Progressive Enterprises, Dave Chambers, has been appointed to the role of Director, Woolworths Supermarkets, based in Sydney.
Chambers has been Managing Director of Progressive Enterprises and the Countdown business since July 2011. Chambers first started with the company in 1979, stocking shelves in the Glenfield Foodtown supermarket in Auckland.
“I’ve had an incredible journey with this business for the last 36 years,” says Chambers.
“I’ve worked on the shop floor, held a variety of roles in operations, overseen the amalgamation of three brands to become Countdown, and for the last three years I’ve been fortunate enough to lead the 18,000 hard-working New Zealanders in our team. I’ll miss it enormously, as well as all the people I’ve worked with along the way, but I’m also really looking forward to this new challenge.”
Woolworths Chief Executive Officer Grant O’Brien says: “Dave is a highly experienced supermarket retailer who has honed his skills in the tough and highly price-sensitive market of New Zealand. The leadership changes announced today places our best talent to lead our biggest businesses and brings the right mix of experience and the ability to create a winning operating culture.”
The move will see Chambers lead more than 900 Woolworth’s supermarkets across Australia, which employ some 113,000 team members. Woolworths has made a number of new key leadership appointments within its food and liquor divisions, including the appointment of a new MD following the resignation of Tjeerd Jegen.
Steve Donohue, Countdown’s General Manager Merchandise, has been appointed Acting Managing Director, Progressive Enterprises until a new appointment has been made.
