Ex-Ahold Delhaize USA CEO Kevin Holt joins Loblaw board

Kevin Holt, the former CEO of Ahold Delhaize USA, has been elected to the board of directors at Loblaw Cos., Canada’s largest food and drug retailer.

Brampton, Ontario-based Loblaw announced the results of its board elections earlier this month at the company’s 2023 annual meeting of shareholders. Also elected to Loblaw’s board as an independent director was Shelley Broader, a former CEO of Walmart Canada and a former executive at Delhaize America grocery banners Hannaford and Sweetbay Supermarket.

Holt and Broader were elected with 99.91% and 99.85% of shareholder votes, respectively, Loblaw reported. Chairman Galen Weston, who currently heads Loblaw Cos. as president, was re-elected (with 97.13% of the vote) along with nine other existing directors and now leads a 12-member board.

Ahold Delhaize USA (ADUSA) unveiled its CEO transition plan back in November, naming JJ Fleeman—previously Peapod Digital Labs president and ADUSA chief commercial and digital officer—to succeed Holt. ADUSA said at the time that Holt would serve in an advisory capacity to assist in the leadership change until he retires at the end of 2023. Fleeman officially took the ADUSA CEO reins after being elected to the post at Ahold Delhaize’s annual shareholders meeting on April 12, at which time Holt officially stepped down from the company’s management board.

Holt had served as ADUSA CEO, and a member of the Ahold Delhaize Management Board, since January 2018. Before that, he held the post of chief operating officer of Ahold USA since October 2016, after serving in the same role at Delhaize America since July 2016. Earlier, he was executive vice president of Delhaize Group and CEO of Delhaize America, starting in 2014.

Also in his 30 years of experience in the retail industry, Holt served as president of retail operations at Supervalu before joining Delhaize Group. During his tenure at Supervalu, the company owned the Albertsons, Jewel-Osco and Save-A-Lot chains and was the third-largest food retailing company in the U.S. His retail career also includes nearly three years at Sears Holding Corp., including as executive VP and president of stores, and over 14 years at Meijer, most recently as executive VP of retail operations. Before coming to the retail sector, Holt spent 11 years in various sales and marketing roles at NCR Corp.

Shelley Broader, now an independent director at Loblaw, has held executive roles at Walmart, Sweetbay Supermarket and Hannaford, as well as at Chico's FAS and Michael's Stores. / Photo courtesy of Dutch Bros. Coffee

Broader also brings a strong retailing background to Loblaw. She was appointed to the company board’s audit and risk and compliance committees in mid-November and officially elected as a director at the shareholder meeting.

Most recently, Broader spent nearly three-and-a-half years as president and CEO of apparel retailer Chico’s FAS. That followed a year as president and CEO of Europe, Africa and Canada at Walmart from December 2014 to November 2015 and, prior to that, as president and CEO of Walmart Canada from November 2011 to November 2014. Previously, she served over a year as president and COO of arts and crafts chain Michael’s Stores.

Her stint at Michael’s came after executive roles in the supermarket sector. Broader served as president and CEO of Sweetbay Supermarket from 2003 to 2008 and as senior VP of business strategy, marketing and communications at Hannaford Supermarkets from 2000 to 2003. A former Delhaize America chain, Sweetbay was sold to Bi-Lo in 2013. Hannaford was acquired by Delhaize America in 2000.

Overall, Loblaw’s retail network encompasses 2,442 stores, including 548 corporate-owned supermarkets under multiple banners, 551 franchised grocery stores and 1,343 Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix associate-owned drugstores.

Besides Shoppers Drug Mart—Canada’s largest drug chain—Loblaw Cos. retail banners include Loblaws, Zehrs, Independent, Valu-Mart, Provigo, Atlantic Superstore, Fortinos T&T Supermarket, Wholesale Club, Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Maxi and Extra Foods. The company also offers online grocery services until the PC Express banner and provides the President’s Choice (grocery), no name (food and household products) and Life Brand (health and wellness) private labels; PC Financial services; Joe Fresh fashion and apparel brand; and the PC Optimum loyalty program.

Last month, Loblaw named Danish retail executive Per Bank as president and CEO. Bank, the outgoing president and CEO of Salling Group A/S, is due to take the helm as CEO by the first quarter of 2024. Loblaw hasn’t had the position of CEO since January 2019, with Chairman and President Galen Weston leading the company.