Woolworths confirms departure of former supermarkets marketing boss Jess Gill
Woolworths has confirmed the departure of former supermarkets marketing head Jess Gill from the company just a week after the abrupt departure of chief marketing officer Tony Phillips
This morning’s Australian Financial Review Rear Window column reported Gill, who was shifted from the supermarkets role to that of director of customer, brand and format when Philips arrives last year, was the latest casualty of a restructure led by new MD of food and liquor Brad Banducci.
A spokesperson for the supermarket chain confirmed the departure telling Mumbrella: “Jess has provided thought leadership over the past 3 years around store formats of the future, food for now and food for later strategies, own brand, store design and refurbishment plans.
“We wish Jess all the very best for the future. As previously noted we will begin a search for a chief marketing officer. This role will be responsible for the end-to-end brand experience.”
Gill joined the supermarket from consultancy Growth Mantra in September 2013 as general manager of marketing – supermarkets, before shifting to the director of customer experience role in April 2014 when Philips was appointed.
At the end of last year, Gill appeared on Woolworths’ backed TV show Recipe to Riches on Channel Ten, which has yet to confirm a new season of the show for this year.
Jess Gill is one of the very best…
User ID not verified.
What Woollies really needs is to get rid of those terrible hardware stores sapping the company. A marketing whiz can’t change that cold costly fact! The hardware stores are always in shit locations and nobody I know has ever gone to them – too far away. Disgruntled Woollies shareholder.
User ID not verified.
Must be. She accomplished 3 years of work and only started in September 2013.
User ID not verified.
I smell panic.
User ID not verified.
Oh dear. What a shame. Losing one of their best.
User ID not verified.
She was a consultant who went on staff.Show me an example of that working please.The new guy is clearing the place out and it is well overdue.
BUT he has to replace them.
Good luck Mr B.
User ID not verified.
What Woolies, alongside most other retailers in Australia, is complete revamp of their identity. Walking into one of their supermarkets is an insane visually assault. It’s like a bunch of blind sing writers have been let loose on acid.
User ID not verified.
@ Thor. What an odd comment to make. Jørgen Vig Knudstorp the current CEO of Lego was a consultant for Lego before he became their CEO. In fact he was an academic and had never worked for a large organisation before. He turned the business around from a loss to profit within a few years. I can list several other examples of that working but this is a classic. Consultants are very capable of running organisations!
User ID not verified.
Oh really Yolo?
‘I can list several other consultants blah,blah ,blah’
Well go on then.
User ID not verified.
“Consultants are very capable of running organisations”
You forgot the “into the ground” bit.
User ID not verified.
@Thor eh how about the successful Mr B himself? Boston Consulting Group for 15 years. You said show me an example – I showed you two. End of debate.
User ID not verified.