Albertsons Companies has appointed Harmit Singh to its board of directors, effective Oct. 15, expanding the board from 14 to 15 members. Singh has more than 40 years of financial, operational and strategic leadership experience at consumer, retail and hospitality brands.
Singh currently serves as EVP and chief financial and growth officer of Levi Strauss & Co. and, after a planned transition, will retire from the company Nov. 30. At Levi’s, he leads finance, the transformation office, investor relations, information security, strategic sourcing, real estate and franchise expansion, M&A and the company’s global productivity initiative. During his tenure, he helped lead the company’s return to the public markets in 2019.
“We continue to strengthen our board with capabilities that support Albertsons’ next phase of growth,” said Meg Whitman, executive chair of the Albertsons board. “Harmit’s experience improving performance and creating value at complex, consumer-facing companies will be an important asset as we advance our strategy and strengthen execution.”
Before Levi Strauss, Singh served as EVP and CFO of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, where he led the company’s initial public offering. Earlier, he spent 14 years at Yum Brands in global leadership roles, including CFO of Yum Restaurants International and Pizza Hut, and held financial leadership positions at American Express and PricewaterhouseCoopers. He serves on the boards of Planet Fitness and Sutter Health and previously served on the boards of The Azek Company, OpenText and Buffalo Wild Wings.
“Albertsons has a strong legacy, a portfolio of trusted brands and a clear commitment to serving customers and communities,” Singh said. “I look forward to working with my fellow directors and the leadership team to support the company’s continued growth and strategic priorities.”
The appointment continues a reshaping of the Albertsons board that has included Whitman’s move to the new executive chair role in September and the addition of three directors alongside an interim CFO appointment late last month.
As of Sept. 12, Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons operated 2,240 retail stores with 1,709 in-store pharmacies in 35 states and the District of Columbia under 22 banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme and Tom Thumb.