Australia Post names new retail divisional chief Former McDonald’s Australia CEO Catriona Noble has been named as the head of Australia Post’s retail business. Noble, who most recently headed the retail division of ANZ Bank, takes up the Australia Post role of executive GM, retail, reporting to group CEO and MD Paul Graham. She will oversee the company’s network of 4320 post offices. In a statement, Graham said Noble’s appointment reflected the vital role the Post Offic
ost Office network plays at Australia Post.
“Over the past two years, we have seen how important our Post Office network has been in helping small businesses, connecting communities and building resilience. Our Licensed Post Offices as well as our Corporate Post Offices provide essential services for mail, parcels, financial services plus an expanding range of other services for the community,” Graham said.
“With her extensive customer experience working at McDonald’s Corporation and ANZ Bank, Catriona has the right skills, personality and energy to grow and evolve our Post Office network.”
Noble worked with McDonald’s for 31 years, expanding its network across the region, and focusing on product development, customer advocacy and working with franchisees. She was CEO from 2010 to 2014.
Her appointment to Australia Post follows Leonie Valentine’s commencement as executive GM customer experience and digital this month, and Tanny Mangos’s appointment as executive GM of community, sustainability and stakeholder engagement in December.
Flora & Fauna owner BWX hires new CEO
BWX Limited has appointed Rory Gration as the Group’s new chief executive and managing director effective 1 March, 2022. The succession in leadership comes with an anticipation of strong revenue growth for the financial year of 2022.
Dave Fenlon will remain as the Board’s non-executive director said . Gration is an ideal CEO for BWX.
“This is the right timing, particularly with the opening of our new facility and following successful completion of the Go-To acquisition, integration of the Flora & Fauna business, and given our strengthened capability globally,” said Fenlon
With the company’s manufacturing facility all set to open in March 2022, BWX chairman Ian Campbell said Gration has played an important role in their global expansion. The group acquired leading vegan and eco-friendly retailer Flora & Fauna in 2021 as a bigger push into the vegan cosmetics market, which is projected to grow to US$20.8 billion by 2025 according to Statista.
Speaking to Inside Retail last year, Julie Mathers, Flora & Fauna founder and CEO, notes that the younger generation are focused on purpose-driven brands.
“They’re focused on better products, and BWX recognises that this is a growing market and it’s not slowing down,” said Mathers.
Flora & Fauna is home to key categories of beauty, personal care, lifestyle, baby and kids, pet, food and health products.
VF Corporation welcomes new global brand president
VF Corporation has brought on board Nicole Otto as global brand president of adventure retail giant North Face, taking over from Steve Murray, who is retiring.
Otto will begin her new role in June, reporting to VF chairman, president and CEO Steve Rendle. She was previously vice president of Nike Direct North America from 2018-2021, where she oversaw the brand’s digital experiences and stores throughout the region. According to a statement from the VF, in her previous role, “Otto was responsible for integrating the company’s physical and digital retail ecosystem to deliver online-to-offline services and experiences that forge deep connections with consumers. Under her leadership, Nike launched new flagship and Nike Live experiences in New York City and Los Angeles and began its expansion of owned retail across the US.”