Woolworths Holdings Limited, the South African-based parent company of Australia’s Country Road Group, has appointed longtime executive Sam Ngumeni as Group CEO, effective June 1.

Ngumeni, who currently runs the company’s food division, will succeed Roy Bagattini, who is scheduled to step down from the board on May 31. He will retire at the end of September after more than six years leading the retailer.

As part of the transition, Bagattini steps down from the board and will remain with the group to work closely with his successor until his formal retirement in September.

During a 30-year tenure with the group, Ngumeni’s roles included group COO, with overall responsibility for key functions in Australia, South Africa, and other African territories, including retail operations, infrastructure, and real estate.