ARLINGTON, VA - New leadership appointments continue to rain down with the latest coming from Lidl US. The retailer announced the appointment of four industry experts to its leadership team.
Of vital interest to our industry is the appointment of Tod Seiling, who was named as Vice President of Fresh. 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.
Seiling previously held roles at Walmart, Albertsons, Rouses Market, and Farmland Foods, a division of Smithfield Foods, among others. Seiling will report to Miguel Paradela.
Seiling's expertise will be crucial for the discount grocer as it continues to expand its fresh offerings.
Paradela was named to the role of Executive Vice President of Purchasing and Chief Commercial Officer. He will be 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.
Next up is Frank Kerr, who has been named to the position of Lidl’s first-ever Chief Customer Officer. In this role, Kerr will be responsible for driving a holistic consumer experience. According to a press release, Kerr will bring all customer-centric activities together in this newly created team, which will include consumer insights, marketing, loyalty, and promotions. He has been in the United States grocery industry for over 20 years and has worked at major brands including Save A Lot and Nestle. Kerr will report to Paradela.
Finally, Michael Chao was named Head of Marketing. He will report to Kerr. Over the course of his career, Chao has held senior marketing roles for Dollar General 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 US Chief Executive Officer Joel Rampoldt commented on these new appointments.
“I am excited to welcome Miguel, Frank, Tod, and Michael to the team,” he remarked. “Their combined expertise, incredible leadership, and the work of their talented teams will be crucial to our success as we continue to deliver high-quality products at low prices for our customers. At Lidl, we are committed to boosting the customer experience at all of our stores, and having the right talent in place is necessary to achieve our goals.”
Congratulations to all the newest members of Lidl US!
