Target announced the retirements of two executives: John Mulligan, EVP and COO, and Laysha Ward, EVP and chief external engagement officer. Mulligan will remain in his role until February 2024, and Ward will transition to a strategic advisor role through April 2024.
“On behalf of the entire Target team, I want to thank John and Laysha for the tremendous impact they’ve had on our team and business during their impressive careers with the company,” said Brian Cornell, chair and CEO, in a statement. “I look forward to working closely with John until his retirement in 2025 and appreciate the important role he’ll play in setting his successor up for success, and I wish Laysha the very best as she prepares to embark on her next chapter.”
Target also announced that Matt Zabel has been named chief corporate affairs officer. Zabel will report to Cornell. Additionally, Kiera Fernandez has been promoted to EVP and chief community impact and equity officer. Fernandez will be a member of Target’s leadership team and report to Zabel. In her new role, she will assume external stakeholder engagement, and have oversight of the company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy and corporate philanthropy efforts.
Mulligan joined Target in 1996 as a financial analyst. During his tenure with the company, he has held a variety of leadership positions in finance, digital, and human resources. This includes his time as Target’s chief financial officer from 2012-2015. Notably, Mulligan served as interim president and CEO of Target in 2014, prior to Cornell joining the company. Mulligan was promoted to his current role in 2015.
As chief operating officer, he has played a critical role in the successful rollout of Target’s “stores as hubs” strategy and has been a driving force behind developing and evolving the organization’s fulfillment options, including Pickup, Drive-up, and same-day delivery services, according to the retailer.
“As I prepare to retire next year, I want to start by saying thank you to the Target team, particularly our operations, store, and supply chain team members. I’m humbled by the opportunities I’ve had to help grow Target into a Fortune 50 company, fortified by a long-term, durable growth strategy,” said Mulligan in a statement. “By maintaining a relentless focus on our guests, we continue to show what it looks like to adapt to meet evolving needs and a constantly changing retail landscape, all while delivering a sense of joy that’s uniquely Target.”
The company will share additional information on its succession plans for Mulligan prior to his official retirement.
Ward began her career in 1991 as a frontline team member at Target subsidiary Marshall Field’s in Chicago where she served as the store’s community captain. She spent more than two decades leading corporate responsibility and the Target Foundation. During that time, she helped pioneer Target’s partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the establishment of St. Jude Target House I and II, which provide free housing and support to families whose children are receiving in-patient cancer treatment and led the organization’s $1 billion pledge to education.
“First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude. It has been a great privilege to grow alongside the Target brand and team for 32 years, as we’ve expanded from $9 billion in annual revenue and fewer than 500 stores to more than $100 billion and nearly 2,000 stores,” said Ward in a statement.
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