Target’s digital transformation
Target has formed a digital advisory council as part of its efforts to accelerate its digital transformation. The company will look to the panel of technology industry leaders to help guide its omnichannel strategies.
The council includes experts with varied tech backgrounds, and includes Ajay Agarwal, managing director of Bain Capital Ventures; Amy Chang, CEO/co-founder of Accompani, former head of Google Analytics; Roger Liew, chief technology officer of Orbitz Worldwide; and Sam Yagan, CEO of the Match Group and CEO/founder of OkCupid.
Left to right: Jason Goldberger, SVP Target.com and mobile, leads a panel with the Target Digital Advisory Council at Target headquarters featuring Roger Liew, CTO of Orbitz Worldwide, Ajay Agarwal, managing director of Bain Capital Ventures, Amy Chang, CEO/co-founder of Accompani, Sam Yagan, CEO of the Match Group and CEO/founder of OkCupid.
“We believe this council can play an important role in Target’s digital transformation — one of our top priorities as a company,” said Casey Carl, president of omnichannel, Target. “This new group is bringing their tremendous talents and experience to help guide Target’s strategies and tactics. They’re also providing fresh, disruptive ideas that will help us re-invent the Target run for tomorrow’s guests.”
The council will meet quarterly as a group with Carl and others driving Target’s omnichannel strategies, including the Target.com and mobile teams, the enterprise strategy team and other Target leaders. Council members, who will serve two-year terms with an optional third year, will also be called upon to provide guidance on various topics and to help Target connect with other tech leaders.
In addition to forming the new council, Target is bolstering its internal digital team and plans to hire at least 50 new software engineers this year for its Target.com and mobile product teams. The engineers will be primarily based in Minneapolis, where they will work as part of the company’s new digital product teams. Some new engineers will be based in Target’s San Francisco office.
In the past year, Target has launched a number of digital initiatives, including the mobile coupon app Cartwheel, Target Subscriptions and Store Pickup, which allows guests to buy online at Target.com and pickup in a store. Target is now enhancing and expanding these services while also piloting new offerings such as same-day delivery and the ability to ship online orders from stores.
“Target is pursuing an aggressive omnichannel agenda and we want to go faster,” said Carl. “We’re confident that efforts such as creating the council and adding new engineering talent to our organization will help us achieve our goal of becoming a leading omnichannel retailer.”