By Matthew Henry
BAYSWATER, VIC: Victoria-based retail group Clive Peeters has appointed 24-year retail industry veteran Gary Dunne to the role of chief operating officer, filling the position which has been vacant for nearly a year.
Dunne will be responsible for the all the retailer’s day-to-day operations and will report directly to Clive Peeters managing director, Greg Smith, who said the new COO’s extensive retail experience with Woolworths, Aldi and Coles was a big bonus.
“Gary Dunne is an outstanding individual with over 24 years retail experience, including operations, warehouse and distribution, property, IT, merchandising and marketing,” said Smith in a statement to the ASX.
“Gary brings to our organization a wealth of retail experience and an enthusiasm and passion for premium retailing. He will obviously be a key member of our management team for many years to come, and will relish the end to end responsibility the role of COO entails. We are very excited to have a person of his caliber join our team.
“With a proven track record in establishing property and operational strageties whilst building culture, Gary will be an asset to the Clive Peeters Group,” he said.
Dunne’s retail experience includes 16 years with Woolworths, starting at shop floor level and rising to the position of operations manager.
With Aldi’s arrival in Australia, Dunne took the role of regional operation director for Aldi Stores and after four months was promoted to managing director, Aldi Stores, responsible for the grocery retailer’s Australian rollout.
After five years with Aldi, he joined Coles Group as general manager operations, Coles/Bi-Lo – Victoria and Tasmania, and was subsequently appointed to the position of general manager – supercentres and strategy implementation.
According to Clive Peeters, Dunne was involved in the process of Coles’ sale to Wesfarmers and took a lead role in a number of immediate priorities linked to their strategic roadmap.
Dunne’s appointment will be effective 10 March, 2008.