Lidl U.S. has appointed four industry veterans – Miguel Paradela, Frank Kerr, Tod Seiling and Michel Chao – to the company’s leadership team, with the aim of lifting the shopper experience.
“I am excited to welcome Miguel, Frank, Tod and Michael to the team,” said Lidl US CEO Joel Rampoldt. “Their combined expertise, incredible leadership and the work of their talented teams will be crucial to our success as we continue to deliver high quality products at low prices for our customers.
“At Lidl, we are committed to boosting the customer experience at all of our stores and having the right talent in place is necessary to achieve our goals.”
Miguel Paradela
Reporting to Rampoldt, Paradela has been appointed EVP of purchasing and chief commercial officer, responsible for setting the long-term strategy for the company’s buying and merchandising function.
Paradela has more than 25 years of experience with the international grocer, where he most recently served as general manager of purchasing and marketing for Lidl Spain.
Frank Kerr
Kerr will become Lidl’s first chief customer officer, responsible for driving a holistic consumer experience. Kerr, who was one of the first 50 employees at Lidl U.S., returns for a second stint, where he will bring customer-centric activities together in the newly created team, which will include consumer insights, marketing, loyalty and promotions.
Kerr has been in the U.S. grocery industry for more than 20 years and has worked at major brands, including Save A Lot and Nestle. Kerr will report to Paradela.
Tod Seiling
Bringing about 30 years of experience, Seiling has joined Lidl U.S. as VP of fresh, reporting to Paradela. Seiling will oversee fresh food buying, including meat, fish, poultry and produce.
Seiling most recently worked at Save a Lot, where he served as VP of fresh merchandising. He has spent his entire career in fresh food, previously holding roles at Walmart, Albertsons, Rouses Markets and Farmland Foods, a division of Smithfield Foods, among others. Seiling will report to Paradela.
Michel Chao
Chao has been appointed as Lidl’s as VP and head of marketing, reporting to Kerr.
Over the course of his career, Chao has held senior marketing roles for Dollar General, JOANN Stores and Walmart.
In his new position, Chao will be responsible for driving brand awareness and customer loyalty as the business continues to grow in U.S.
About Lidl
Lidl operates more than 12,000 stores in 32 countries, with more than 360,000 employees.
Lidl established its U.S. headquarters in Arlington County, Virginia, in June 2015. Today, it operates more than 170 stores across nine East Coast states and Washington, D.C.
Read more corporate chain store news from The Shelby Report.
