Bi-Lo names veteran Australian exec as CEO

Bi-Lo Holdings has turned to a veteran Australian retail executive to take over as president and CEO.

The parent company of Bi-Lo, Harveys and Winn-Dixie grocery stores said that Ian McLeod has been appointed president and CEO effective March 2. McLeod succeeds Randall Onstead, who will remain in place through March 2.

“Ian is a proven leader with more than 30 years of expertise and a strong track record of driving profitable growth," the Bi-Lo Holdings board said in a joint statement. "In his time running over 2,200 Coles food, liquor and convenience stores, which employs 100,000 associates across Australia and includes over 760 full-service supermarkets, he led a major turnaround in that business, improving the quality and value of products as well as the service and store standards offered to customers. Ian significantly increased sales from ... $23.2 billion to $35.2 billion, doubling profits during six years and outperforming in the market for 20 consecutive quarters. We are confident he will be instrumental in driving continued growth and success at Bi-Lo Holdings as we execute our strategy and work to further enhance our customers’ shopping experience.”

McLeod previously served as group commercial director for Wesfarmers Group, one of Australia’s largest listed companies and one of its largest employers. Wesfarmers Group acquired the Australian retail group Coles in late 2007 and appointed McLeod as managing director to lead the challenging turnaround of the company, consisting of over 2,200 food, liquor and convenience stores, including over 760 supermarkets, 800 liquor stores and 640 gas stations across Australia.

Prior to Coles, McLeod was CEO of Halfords Group, a British retail chain specializing in car parts, cycling products and outdoor leisure goods.

Previously, McLeod spent 20 years with ASDA supermarkets, a British supermarket group acquired by Wal-Mart in 1999, where he was a member of the U.K. management board and also spent 12 months as a member of the executive board of Walmart Germany. McLeod attended the Harvard Business School AMP program in 1999 and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Scotland in 2010 for services to Business and Retail.

“I am excited to move to the U.S. and join the team at this important time,” McLeod said. “I look forward to leveraging my experience to help build upon Bi-Lo Holdings’ reputation by serving our loyal customers even better, attracting new customers through great quality and value and further strengthening our competitive position within the industry.”