Strategy

Sandra Gudat, President & CEO, Customer Communications Group

Retailers often have trouble balancing their overall promotions plan with offers and discounts for their loyalty program. In fact, it may be enough of an issue that they keep loyalty as an independent P&L entity, or even steer clear of loyalty altogether to avoid the problem. After all, every retail business is about profit, and adding another layer of promotional discounts into the mix could be seen as a threat to the bottom line.

St. Louis -- Panera Bread Company announced that Roger Matthews, executive VP and CFO, has resigned his position to pursue other opportunities.

Effective Aug. 6, Bill Moreton, executive vice chairman of Panera Bread, will serve as interim CFO as the company conducts a search for a full-time replacement. Moreton has previously held the positions of CEO, co-chief executive officer and CFO of Panera Bread. Matthews will transition his remaining duties through the end of August.

Lafayette, La. - ARC Group Inc., owner, operator and franchisor of the Dick's Wings & Grill concept, has named Chris Perrella has joined the company as its director of marketing.

In a move to streamline and simplify Procter & Gamble’s business and brand portfolio, the company will trim its brand portfolio to focus on 70 to 80 of its largest and best-performing brands, A. G. Lafley, president and CEO, told analysts on Friday during its fourth quarter conference call.

In the next 12 to 24 months, P&G will “harvest, partner, discontinue or divest” 90 to 100 brands, whose sales have been declining 3% per year over the past three years. Profits have been declining 16%.

Parsippany, N.J. - Facebook and RB, a provider of health and hygiene products, have entered into a multi-year, nine-figure global partnership. The two companies have committed to integrating members of their global sales, marketing and creative teams to connect RB brands like Lysol, Mucinex, MegaRed and Air Wick with consumers on Facebook.

Target’s expansion of its troubled Canadian division remains on track as new chairman and CEO Brian Cornell prepares to assume leadership of the company in August.
 
The new stores are located at Erin Mills Town Centre in Mississauga, Ontario; Park Place in Barrie, Ontario and Carrefour Candiac in Candiac, Quebec. The Barrie and Candiac locations are new buildings. Earlier this year, Target opened three locations in Canada, and has plans to open three more later this fall, bringing this year’s total to nine and overall total to 130.

San Jose, Calif. – EBay Inc. has released its 2014 diversity report. The online auction retailer, whose global workforce is 58% male and global workforce is 61% white, says it has made improvements in workforce diversity but still has progress to make.

EBay’s global leadership is 72%, while its global technology wotkforce is 76% male. The non-tech workforce is much more gender-diverse, with a slight 51% male majority.

Retailers and suppliers who already operate in China or are looking to expand there may want to contact Kurt Salmon following several key hires by the consulting company.

The management consulting firm’s Retail and Consumer Products Group in China said it hired Hao Li and Ke Chen as partners.