Following four consecutive quarters of declining sales, big-box retailer Target has made several changes to its C-suite team in order to position the company for sustainable growth. 

Effective July 7, chief merchandising officer of food, essentials and beauty Rick Gomez (pictured left) will move up into a chief commercial officer position to oversee brand sourcing, design and merchandising strategy for all of Target’s key product categories, including toys, apparel and accessories. 

At the same time, chief growth officer Christina Hennington‘s (pictured right) remit is expanding to include strategic planning. Working alongside Target’s leadership team to build a new roadmap for the company’s growth, she’ll also explore adding generative AI to work processes and shopping experiences. Both Hennington and Gomez will report directly to CEO and chair Brian Cornell. 

Chief marketing officer Lisa Roath has been tapped to succeed Gomez as chief of food, essentials and beauty early next year, leveraging experience she gained while working as an SVP of food and beverage merchandising from 2020 to 2023. She will serve in both roles in the short term, while Target initiates an external search for a new CMO. 

In Q1 2024, Target generated US$24.5 billion in total revenue, down 3.1% compared to the same period last year. In response, the retailer is looking to win back shoppers by lowering prices throughout the summer on 5,000 frequently purchased items, including meat, coffee, snacks, diapers and pet food.