Simon Kennedy will be joining the Foodstuffs North Island team as Chief Digital Officer (CDO) in 2019.
Kennedy has been CIO at Air New Zealand for the past year. Prior to this he was at The Warehouse Group for eight years, including four years as CIO, and has held a range of senior digital and technology roles overseas.
Joining the grocery co-operative is familiar territory for Kennedy, who comes from a family retail food business in the UK – Kennedy’s Sausages – and he is excited about getting back into the industry.
Foodstuffs North Island CEO Chris Quin is looking forward to seeing Simon join the team next year.
“Simon leads with strong values and a clear vision that empower his team to aim high and deliver the best results for customers,” says Quin.
“With a focus on driving strategic change through digital and cultural innovation, Simon joins us at a critical time in our own digital journey. Repositioning our CIO position to a Chief Digital Officer role is a key part of our focus on digital customer experiences and online revenue growth. Simon brings the experience and leadership needed to really make a difference in this space at Foodstuffs North Island.”
Kennedy takes over the role from Peter Muggleston, who held the CIO role at Foodstuffs North Island for seven years and was awarded CIO of the Year in 2015. Muggleston has taken on the CIO role at Tower Insurance.