The Good Guys has today announced three significant head office appointments as part of a move to align its business structure with its growth strategy.
Geoff Reader, formerly the group general manager of merchandise planning and inventory management, has been appointed to the position of chief merchant. Reader has previously worked at David Jones, Target, Coles, Shoemart and JDA Software. He first joined the The Good Guys in December 2011.
Sean Quinnell, formerly the group general manager of operations and capability, has been appointed to the position of chief operating officer. This is Quinnell’s second stint at The Good Guys, having worked at the retailer from 2004 to 2006, before gaining experience at Country Road and Officeworks, ahead of a return in 2009.
Wayne Jennings, formerly leader of merchandising for The Good Guys’ home appliances business, has been appointed to the position of group general manager, merchandise.
These three appointments come four months after Jaimie Ehrhardt was appointed to the newly created role of chief people officer.
In his new role, Reader will be responsible for all areas of merchandising for The Good Guys, encompassing buying, merchandise planning and operations, inventory management, portfolio, pricing and private label.
Quinnell is now responsible for The Good Guys’ supply chain, retail operations, business assurance, store design and store development.
Here’s The Good Guys CEO Michael Ford explaining the thinking behind this realignment:
“Australian retail is experiencing an era of intense competition,” he said. “As a leading player in our industry, we believe that in order to maintain our competitive advantage, it is imperative we anticipate the rapidly changing industry standards and needs of our consumers and lead change through a culture of constant innovation.
“With the accelerating pace of change and transformation expected in the retail sector over the next 12 months, we are excited about the prospects for the future retail marketplace.
“The appointment of a chief merchant and chief operating officer is the next phase of our strategy to innovate through improved business processes and productivity and is an exciting phase in the evolution of our business.”