COO is elevated to CEO at BJ's Wholesale Club

BJ's Wholesale Club has promoted its COO to president and chief executive officer just months after recruiting him from Hess Retail Corp.



The club retailer announced that Christopher J. Baldwin, BJ's president and chief operating officer, has been named president and CEO, succeeding Laura J. Sen, who is assuming the role of non-executive chairman. The appointment is effective Feb. 1.



Baldwin will assume responsibility for the ongoing operations of BJ's, while Sen will join BJ's other board members in setting the long term strategic direction of the company. Baldwin will report to the company's board of directors and both he and Sen will remain members of the BJ's board.



"I am humbled and excited by this opportunity to lead BJ's," said Baldwin. "This is both a challenging time for retail and one full of opportunity. Our guide over the next several years will be a vision that is steadfastly focused on offering a distinctive shopping experience and deep value proposition to BJ's millions of loyal members. With the support of BJ's team members, I look forward to leading our company to even higher levels of achievement."



Baldwin joined BJ's in September as President and Chief Operating Officer. He brought more than 30 years of experience as an executive in the retail and consumer products industries. Before joining BJ's, he was CEO of Hess Retail Corporation, prior to its successful sale to Marathon Petroleum Corporation. Before joining Hess, Baldwin served in a variety of executive level roles at Kraft Foods (Nabisco), The Hershey Company, and Procter and Gamble.



Cameron Breitner, Partner of CVC Capital Partners, said, "We are extremely grateful for Laura's leadership over the past several years and her many contributions to BJ's success. Chris is an inspired leader and his broad experiences qualify him to step in to this role. He is well-respected within BJ's and across the industry, and his personal style fits well with the company's core values."



BJ’s, founded in 1984, operates 211 warehouse clubs and 126 gas stations for members in 15 states. Sen, a 25-year veteran of the company, has been chief executive since 2009.