Lowe’s, Toys R Us and Vox Media hire new CMOs
Lowe’s, Toys “R” Us and Vox Media have all announced the appointments of new CMOs.
Lowe’s Companies, Inc., announced that Jocelyn Wong has been appointed to the position of chief marketing officer. Wong most recently served as senior vice president and general merchandising manager for the seasonal business. She will report to Michael P. McDermott, chief customer officer, and succeeds Marci P. Grebstein, who has left the company.
Wong joined Lowe’s in September 2015 and has more than 20 years of experience in marketing, merchandising, brand management and product innovation with well-known brands such as Family Dollar, Safeway and Procter & Gamble. Prior to joining Lowe’s, she served as senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Family Dollar.
“We are confident that Jocelyn’s breadth of experience in developing marketing and merchandising strategies will further deepen Lowe’s connection with customers,” McDermott said in a company release. “Jocelyn has demonstrated the leadership capabilities needed to drive a more integrated omni-channel marketing approach that builds loyalty for the Lowe’s brand and positions the company for continued growth.”
Toy and baby retailer Toys"R"Us, Inc., announced that PepsiCo veteran, Carla Hassan has been named as executive vice president, global chief marketing officer, effective February 20, according to a release on PR Wire. She will report directly to Chairman and CEO Dave Brandon.
Hassan was most recently SVP, brand management for PepsiCo's Global Beverage Group, where she was responsible for driving the growth agenda for brands including Pepsi, 7UP, Mountain Dew, and Gatorade.
In her new role, Hassan will be responsible for developing a global marketing strategy and a best-in-class team to drive growth for the toy and baby businesses. She will also lead the efforts to position and enhance the relevancy of the brand, leveraging relationships with vendors and licensing partners to increase positive consumer perception of the company.
"Carla not only has exceptional experience from both a global brand and leadership perspective, she brings with her a passion and reputation for change. I expect to see her immediate positive impact on our marketing programs and ability to connect with today's consumers and drive traffic into our bricks and mortar stores and our web store," said Brandon.
"I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to steward another iconic brand. As a marketer, a mom and a kid at heart, I see endless opportunities to make this brand even more magical and inspiring," said Ms. Hassan.
Lindsay Nelson has been named the first chief marketing officer at Vox Media, whose properties include The Verge, SB Nation and Recode, among others. She was previously vice president and head of global brand strategy.
As CMO, Nelson will help drive relevance, authority and business growth for Vox and its brands. She will oversee brand marketing, portfolio marketing, revenue operations and Vox Creative, according to a story on the Vox website.
“Vox Media builds some of the smartest, most authoritative brands around people’s deepest passions. But never in the history of media has trust and quality mattered more than it does right now. It’s Vox Media’s relentless commitment to those values – in our storytelling and our business – that makes me immensely proud and humbled to have the opportunity to accelerate our growth with the support of an incredible team,” said Nelson.
Vox has also hired Armando Turco, formerly with BBH New York, as Vox Creative’s general manager, leading the branded content division. He will report to Nelson, as will Ryan Pauley, who has been promoted to vice president, revenue operations and general manager of Concert, the company’s premium digital marketplace for video advertising and branded content distribution.