Walgreens Adds To Retail And Customer Experience Team
Walgreens has added to its senior executive ranks with two hires for its retail and customer experience team.
Tracey Koller is the drug store chain’s senior vice president and chief merchandising officer, and Sharmila Sudhakar is Walgreens' new group vice president and head of digital commerce. Both will begin their new roles in late August.
“Our retail pharmacy business is uniquely positioned to expand the role we play in the lives of our patients who have come to expect and need retail pharmacy at the center of their care,” said Tracey Brown, executive vice president and president of Walgreens retail and chief customer officer. “To do this, we are investing in the industry’s best talent, which includes the addition of Tracey and Sharmila to the Walgreens leadership team. With their strong track records of delivering results in omni-channel solutions and merchandising, I know they will be critical contributors to our growth and success as we deliver an efficient, highly relevant customer experience.”
As the chief merchandising officer, Koller will be responsible for leading merchandising strategy across all categories, and the deployment of merchandising plans and programs. This includes leadership of product mix, supplier relationships, and merchandising operations.
Most recently, Koller was chief merchandising officer at Party City. She brings more than 30 years of experience and a successful track record in omni-channel merchandising and operations at organizations including News Corp, Whole Foods, and Target.
“I am amazed by the trust Walgreens has built in communities across the U.S. and the impact the company has on the millions of lives it touches each day,” said Koller. “It’s an exciting time to join the Walgreens merchandising organization as the company sharpens its focus as a destination for areas it is uniquely positioned to lead, such as health and beauty and women's health, while also reevaluating its assortment to ensure its relevancy, leveraging select partners and Walgreens own brands.”
Sudhakar will be responsible for driving its digitally initiated revenue growth across various business lines, including retail products, pharmacy, photo services, and health services, and strengthening digital engagement through omni-channel solutions. In this role, she will lead the end-to-end digital team including digital planning and operations, partnerships, product management, and analytics.
She joins Walgreens from Tailored Brands, where she served in several leadership positions, most recently as vice president/general manager of the North America e-commerce business for The Men’s Wearhouse and Moores. She brings more than 20 years of experience developing cohesive omni-channel assortments that reflect market trends and customer needs, launching and optimizing compelling omni-channel customer journeys, and driving quality traffic through performance marketing channels for well-known brands including Walmart, Tile, Gap Incorporate, and eBay.
“With a 125-year heritage, Walgreens has earned the right to engage with customers and patients in a way few others can rival, and it’s exciting to join at a pivotal time in the company’s history,” Sudhakar said. “I look forward to working with the highly talented team at Walgreens to accelerate our digital and omni-channel offerings that meet our customers when, where, and how they want to engage.”
