Lidl US has today announced the appointment of four industry veterans to the company’s executive team. They include Miguel Paradela, executive vice president of purchasing and chief commercial officer; Frank Kerr, chief customer officer; Tod Seiling, vice president of fresh and Michael Chao, head of marketing.
Reporting to CEO Joel Rampoldt, Paradela is responsible for setting the long-term strategy for the buying and merchandising function at Lidl US. Paradela has over 25 years of experience with the international grocer, where he most recently served as the general manager of purchasing and marketing for Lidl Spain.
Kerr will act as Lidl’s first ever chief customer officer, responsible for driving a holistic consumer experience. Kerr, who returns for a second stint at Lidl US, where he was one of the first 50 employees, will bring all customer-centric activities together in this newly created team, which will include consumer insights, marketing, loyalty and promotions. Kerr has been in the US grocery industry for over 20 years and has worked at major brands including Save A Lot and Nestle.
With almost 30 years of experience, Seiling will oversee all fresh food buying including meat, fish, poultry and produce. Joining most recently from Save a Lot where he served as VP of fresh merchandising, Seiling has spent his entire career in fresh food. He previously held roles at Walmart, Albertsons, Rouses Market, and Farmland Foods, a division of Smithfield Foods, among others.
Chao has joined Lidl US as vice president, head of marketing. Over the course of his career, Chao has held senior marketing roles for some of the nation’s most well-known retailers including Dollar General, JOANN Stores and Walmart. At Lidl US, Chao will be responsible for driving brand awareness and customer loyalty as the business continues to grow in the U.S. market.
Lidl operates more than 12,000 stores and is active in 32 countries, employing more than 360,000 employees globally.