Target names finance head as COO; updates merchandising leadership

Target Corp. has promoted a 20-year executive to the role of chief operations officer.

The discounter named Michael Fiddelke, who has served as Target’s chief financial officer since Nov. 1, 2019, as COO, effective Feb. 4, 2024. He succeeds long-time executive John Mulligan, who announced his plans to retire in October. Fiddelke will continue to serve as Target CFO until his replacement is named.

The retailer also is making updates to its merchandising leadership. In light of  the size, scale and complexity of its multi-category merchandise portfolio, Target said that Rick Gomez, currently chief food & beverage officer, will oversee the retailer's frequency categories as chief food, essentials & beauty officer. Jill Sando, currently chief merchandising officer, will oversee Target's discretionary categories as chief merchandising officer of apparel & accessories, home and hardlines. 

Gomez joined Target in 2013 and was named to the company's leadership team in 2017. Sando started at Target in 1997 and joined its leadership team in 2020. Both will continue to report to chief growth officer. 

In other changes, Target announced the upcoming retirement of chief legal and compliance officer Don Liu. The company has begun a search for Liu's backfill and expects to share an update on his successor later this year, at which time Liu will transition to a strategic advisor with the company until 2025. 

COO

As chief operating officer, Fiddelke will oversee Target’s nearly 2,000 stores, its global supply chain network, fulfillment services including same-day delivery with Shipt, network capacity planning, enterprise operations, the teams responsible for building and remodeling Target stores and other facilities, and flight services.

"With his 20 years with the company, spanning roles across our business and most recently as our chief financial officer, Michael brings a diverse set of experiences and an end-to-end view of our business that will benefit Target and our continued growth well into the future,” said Brian Cornell, chair and CEO. “I look forward to working alongside him as our new chief operating officer and appreciate his ongoing commitment as chief financial officer until his successor is named.”

Fiddelke started his career as a consultant with Deloitte. He then attended Kellogg School of Management, where he earned his MBA and joined Target as an intern in 2003. Since that time, he has held a variety of leadership positions across the organization, including finance, merchandising, human resources and store operations. Prior to his appointment as chief financial officer, he served as senior VP of operations, leading cross-functional enterprise initiatives across merchandising, supply chain, stores and guest experience.

“With each position I've held across the organization, my appreciation for Target and the role we play in guests' lives has only grown,” Fiddelke said “Operations are at the heart of how we serve our guests, and I'm looking forward to spending even more time with our team members in the field as we build for the future.”