Home Depot taps Ford Motor exec as new technology chief
A home improvement giant is investing in its technology operations through a new C-suite appointment.
The Home Depot has named Dr. Franziska "Fran" Bell as executive VP and chief technology officer, effective April 6. In the role, she will lead the strategy, development and alignment of technology, product management, data and artificial intelligence for the retailer.
For the past year, Bell led AI transformation as chief data, AI and analytics officer for Ford Motor Company. Prior to Ford, she served as senior VP of digital technology at BP, and spent more than four and a half years with the company in total. Bell has also held executive roles at Uber and Toyota.
[READ MORE: Home Depot updates digital experience for pro loyalty members]
"The Home Depot is a project retailer, and customers engage with us across multiple touch points – whether that's online, in our aisles or increasingly, with AI," said Ted Decker, chair, president and CEO of The Home Depot. "Fran is a respected leader in data science and AI, and she understands the power of technology to improve the customer experience. Her expertise will be invaluable as we invest to remove friction and make home improvement seamless for our associates and customers."
The retailer says Bell will drive the enterprise-wide integration of agentic AI and machine learning to create a “seamless, interconnected and data-driven experience” for The Home Depot's associates, DIYers and Pro customers.
"I've always believed that the most powerful technology is the kind you don't notice, because it's busy behind the scenes making your life easier," said Bell. "Joining a customer-first brand like The Home Depot is an incredible opportunity to put technology and AI to work where it matters most – helping homeowners confidently take on their first renovations or giving Pro contractors the digital tools they need to grow their businesses.”
At the end of the fourth quarter of 2025, Atlanta-based The Home Depot operated a total of 2,359 retail stores and more than 1,250 SRS Distribution locations across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces and Mexico.
