Albertsons Cos. Inc. is announcing a CEO succession plan under which Susan Morris, executive vice president and chief operations officer, will assume the role of CEO following the planned retirement of Vivek Sankaran, effective May 1, 2025. During the transition period, Morris will work closely with Sankaran to continue execution of the company’s Customers for Life strategy. On the effective date, Morris will join the Albertsons Cos. Board of Directors, replacing Sankaran.

Jim Donald, chair of the Albertsons Cos. Board of Directors, said, “Over the past several years, the Board has engaged in a thoughtful and comprehensive succession planning process to identify Albertsons Cos.’ next CEO, including evaluating internal and external candidates. The Board is confident that Susan is the ideal person to lead the Company into its next chapter of growth. With a nearly 40-year career at the Company that began at an Albertsons store in the Denver market, Susan brings unmatched expertise and deep knowledge of the business. She is highly respected across the organization and industry, with a strong track record of operational success and passion for serving our customers and communities.”

“At a time of profound change for the grocery industry, I am honored to be appointed as the next CEO of Albertsons Cos.,” said Morris. “I have worked closely with Vivek and the leadership team on our plans to accelerate growth and am confident that we are on the right path with our Customers for Life strategy. I look forward to participating in the fiscal Q4 earnings call where we will discuss our strategy and provide our fiscal 2025 outlook. Albertsons Cos. has an incredibly bright future and the best team in the business – I am energized about the many opportunities that lie ahead.”

Donald said, “On behalf of the Board, we are grateful for Vivek’s exceptional leadership over the past six years, successfully managing Albertsons Cos.’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic and navigating the Company through challenging industry dynamics. During the past two years, he led continued investment in the business and drove our Customers for Life strategy, positioning Albertsons Cos. on strong financial footing for its next chapter of growth. We are grateful for his continued commitment to the Company during this transition period and his mentorship of and collaboration with Susan.”

“It has been a privilege to lead Albertsons Cos. through a critical period of evolution and I couldn’t be more confident in the Company’s future with Susan at the helm,” said Sankaran. “Susan embodies the best of Albertsons Cos.’ culture, with a strong track record of leading and building high performance teams. I have no doubt in her ability to usher in a new phase of growth and improve our value proposition with customers and the communities where we operate.”

Morris has served as the company’s executive vice president and chief operations officer since January 2018. In this role, she leads the company’s retail operations, overseeing more than 2,200 stores across 34 states.

She has nearly 40 years of experience in the retail grocery industry and has held a variety of leadership roles across the company. Her experience includes serving as executive vice president of regional operations, division president in two markets, and various other roles across merchandising and operations.

Morris serves on the Board of Directors of IDACORP Inc. and the Food Marketing Institute. She is a graduate of Colorado State University, and has been recognized numerous times for her leadership in the grocery industry, including receiving both a Trailblazer Award and Top Women in Grocery from Progressive Grocer.

Source: Albertsons Cos. Inc.