Walgreens taps Starbucks exec Brewer as its new CEO
FILE - Starbucks COO Roz Brewer talks about the proposed redesign of a Starbucks store in New Jersey as she speaks Wednesday, March 20, 2019, during the company's annual shareholders meeting in Seattle. Walgreens has tapped Roz Brewer as its new CEO, which will make her the only Black woman currently leading a Fortune 500 company. Brewer will take over as Walgreens CEO on March 15, 2021 after a little more than three years as Starbucks' chief operating officer. At Starbucks, Brewer revamped stores, taking out clutter and cutting down on administrative work so employees could focus on customers and speed up service. Prior to joining Starbucks, Brewer served as president and CEO of Sam’s Club, the members-only warehouse channel of Walmart Inc. She also grew membership and improved merchandise there.
Brands weigh in on national protests over police brutality
Black lives matter. At the same time, companies must consider whether it makes sense for them to weigh in, especially on an issue as sensitive as race. Media giant ViacomCBS tweeted Black Lives Matter. Expressing solidarity with the Black Lives Movement is the right message, but everyone is jumping in on that bandwagon, said Allen Adamson, co-founder and managing partner of Metaforce a marketing and product consultancy. Each of these black lives matter.
Home Depot is struggling to sell stuff online
Getty Images(CNN) - Home Depot is spending a lot of money to become a bigger player online, but the results aren't working out as well as the retailer had hoped. Home Depot reported revenue that missed forecasts Tuesday morning and lowered its sales outlook, too. Home Depot CEO Craig Menear said in a statement that some of the expected benefits from the company's One Home Depot initiative "will take longer to realize than our initial assumptions." Still, the sales setback for Home Depot Tuesday will only put a small dent in what has otherwise been a solid year for the company. We consider Home Depot something of a leading indicator of sentiment," said Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail, in a report.
Lowe's is laying off thousands of workers
Lowe's is laying off thousands of workers. It said that workers whose jobs are being eliminated will be given transition pay and have the opportunity to apply for open roles at Lowe's. Lowe's operates more than 1,700 stores in the United States. Previously, Lowe's closed 20 US stores, exited its Mexico business and shut down its 99 Orchard Supply Hardware stores in the United States. Unlike many department stores and mall-based retailers, Lowe's, Home Depot and home improvement retailers have not made mass store closures.