Walmart has appointed former American Express executive Janey Whiteside to the newly created role of Chief Customer Officer (CCO), according to Reuters.
Whiteside will oversee the customer experience at both Walmart stores and its e-Commerce offerings. Her team will include new Chief Marketing Officer Barbara Messing, who will join effective mid-August. As CMO, Messing will replace Tony Rogers, who has moved to the retailer’s warehouse chain Sam’s Club to serve in the newly created role of Chief Member Officer.
Walmart provided Reuters with a copy of a memo sent to employees by U.S. Chief Executive Greg Foran, and E-Commerce Chief Marc Lore. The memo said Whiteside will be based in Hoboken, N.J., where subsidiary Jet.com is headquartered, effective Aug. 1. Messing will be based in Walmart’s corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Ark.
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“Janey will play a critical role looking after our brand and thinking through the customer journey — from acquiring new customers to their shopping experience and resolving any issues they may have,” the memo said.
Whiteside’s hiring comes at a time when more retailers are seeking to bridge the customer experience across all channels, paving the way for the growth of the CCO role. There are approximately 500 U.S. companies with a CCO now, compared to 20 in 2003, according to the CCO Council.
In her most recent role, Whiteside served as EVP & GM of Global Premium Products & Benefits at American Express. In her 20 years at AMEX, Whiteside served different roles in areas including relationship management, marketing, and customer engagement.
