Brad Banducci, CEO and Managing Director of Woolworths Group, has announced his intention to retire effective September 2024.
Amanda Bardwell will take over as Managing Director and Group CEO, following the release of FY24 results.
Woolworths Group Chair, Scott Perkins, thanked Banducci for his contribution to the business.
“On behalf of the Board and all of the Woolworths Group team, I would like to thank Brad for his outstanding leadership and contribution. Brad has led a remarkable turnaround and transformation of the Group. He has engendered a Customer First Team First culture, worked to strengthen existing businesses and build digital, eCommerce and analytics capabilities that are seen by our peers as world leading. Most importantly, he has built a team of amazing calibre.
“Woolworths Group has been fortunate to have Brad as its leader and he has indeed helped us to be better together. The test of any CEO is to leave the business in much better shape than when they started. On that simple metric, history will judge Brad to have been one of Woolworths Group’s finest leaders,” he said.
Banducci is proud of his time at Woolworths and is confident of Bardwell’s capacity to take on the role.
“It has been a privilege to be a member of the Woolies team and one I have never taken for granted. We have a wonderfully talented and passionate team at Woolworths Group, as personified in Amanda Bardwell, and I look forward to working with Amanda and our team over the next few months as we set ourselves up for the next chapter,” he said.
Bardwell will bring nearly 30 years of retail experience to the role, 23 of which have been with Woolworths Group. She has already led and helped build two of Woolworth Group’s most successful growth businesses in eCommerce and Loyalty.
“Following an extensive international search process supported by external consultants, we are thrilled to announce the appointment of Amanda as the incoming and 13th Managing Director and Group CEO of Woolworths Group, as the Group starts its next century of creating better experiences together for a better tomorrow.
“Amanda is a proven leader, business builder and modern retailer. Most recently, under her leadership, WooliesX has gone from infancy in 2015 to a $7bn market leading business. Amanda is highly respected throughout the organisation, and I know, like Brad, will live our purpose and work hard to achieve Woolworths Group’s full potential,” Perkins said.
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