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Kroger Names Emilee De Martino Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer

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Kroger (NYSE: KR) appointed Emilee De Martino as Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, succeeding Tim Massa, who plans to retire on September 18. De Martino joins from McDonald's, where she led people strategy for International Operated Markets, overseeing more than 750,000 employees across 19 countries.

She intends to begin by engaging Kroger associates across stores, distribution centers, manufacturing facilities and offices. Her background spans senior roles at McDonald's, CNA Financial, Accenture and Mercer. Kroger reports more than 400,000 associates serving over 11 million customers daily across its family of companies.

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News Market Reaction – KR

+3.52%
+3.52% Session close to close

In the Jul 2 session, KR gained 3.52%, reflecting a moderate positive market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

Kroger’s appointment of a new Chief People Officer with experience leading a 750,000-employee organi...
Analysis

Kroger’s appointment of a new Chief People Officer with experience leading a 750,000-employee organization touches a workforce of over 400,000 associates. The announcement adds to recent governance and earnings updates, with capital-raising flexibility supported by an effective shelf registration.

Key Figures

Countries overseen: 19 countries Workforce led: more than 750,000 employees Tenure at McDonald's: eight years +2 more
5 metrics
Countries overseen 19 countries Scope of people strategy at McDonald's international operated markets
Workforce led more than 750,000 employees Workforce under De Martino at McDonald's international operated markets
Tenure at McDonald's eight years Period De Martino spent at McDonald's Corporation
Kroger associates more than 400,000 associates Kroger workforce size across its family of companies
Customers served daily over 11 million customers Daily customers served via e-commerce and retail food stores

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jun 26 (Neutral)
Pattern 5 events
Date Event Sentiment 24h Move Catalyst
Jun 26 Holiday promotion Neutral -0.1% Fourth of July themed food and mocktail “flight” promotions and rewards.
Jun 25 Loyalty update Positive -1.2% Expanded rewards program with more flexible redemption options for members.
Jun 25 Dividend increase Positive -1.2% Board approved 11% annual dividend increase and 20th straight yearly raise.
Jun 23 Conference announcement Positive +2.3% Plans to co-host 2027 Nourishing Change health and nutrition conference.
Jun 22 Product line expansion Positive -1.7% Expanded Vanderpump Blooms x Bloom Haus floral and home collection offerings.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

Recent Kroger headlines, including promotions and product initiatives, have typically seen modest single-day share reactions without a consistent positive or negative skew.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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CINCINNATI, July 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced Emilee De Martino will serve as its next Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer. De Martino succeeds Tim Massa, who announced he will be retiring September 18. De Martino plans to begin her time at Kroger by engaging with associates in stores, distribution centers, manufacturing facilities and offices across the country.

Emilee De Martino

De Martino joins Kroger from McDonald's Corporation, where she most recently served as Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer for International Operated Markets. In that role, she led people strategy across 19 countries and a workforce of more than 750,000 employees, working closely with business leaders to drive growth, transformation and an elevated employee experience.

During her eight years at McDonald's, De Martino made significant contributions to the company, including shaping and embedding the company's People Brand Standards and Values across the global system and advancing enterprise transformation efforts to fuel sustainable growth. Known for her commitment to talent development and employee experience, she fostered a high-performing, people-first culture, contributing to record levels of restaurant crew retention across the International Operated Markets.

"Emilee is a proven leader with a track record of building strong people organizations at scale," said Greg Foran, CEO of Kroger. "Her experience leading transformation across one of the world's largest workforces, combined with her commitment to developing talent, makes her exceptionally well-suited to lead the next chapter of our people work at Kroger."

Prior to McDonald's, De Martino served as Vice President of Change and Culture at CNA Financial Corporation, where she led organizational transformation initiatives, including multiple system transformations, organization redesign and modernization efforts throughout the company. During her tenure, De Martino played a critical role in harnessing culture, talent and leadership development to drive performance. Before joining CNA Financial Corporation, De Martino worked in management consulting at Accenture and Mercer, advising global organizations on human capital strategy, change management and large-scale transformation.

"Kroger is one of the most respected companies in America, with a long-standing commitment to its associates and the communities it serves," said De Martino. "I am honored to join an organization where people are central to the strategy and excited to work with associates across the business to continue building Kroger as an employer of choice."

De Martino holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration & Management from Fort Hays State University and a Master of Business Administration from Kansas State University. She also completed Columbia University's Creating & Executing Breakthrough Strategies executive program.

About Kroger
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit™. We are, across our family of companies more than 400,000 associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through an e-Commerce experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

The Kroger Co. Logo (PRNewsFoto/The Kroger Co.) (PRNewsFoto/The Kroger Co.)

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kroger-names-emilee-de-martino-executive-vice-president-and-chief-people-officer-302816902.html

SOURCE The Kroger Co.

FAQ

What did Kroger (NYSE: KR) announce about Emilee De Martino on July 2, 2026?

Kroger announced that Emilee De Martino will become Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer. According to Kroger, she will succeed Tim Massa and lead people strategy across the company’s more than 400,000 associates, focusing on talent, culture and employee experience.

When is Tim Massa retiring from his role at Kroger and who will replace him?

Tim Massa plans to retire from Kroger on September 18. According to Kroger, Emilee De Martino will succeed him as Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, assuming leadership of the company’s people organization and supporting its large, nationwide workforce.

What is Emilee De Martino’s previous experience before joining Kroger (KR)?

Emilee De Martino previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer for International Operated Markets at McDonald’s. According to Kroger, she led people strategy across 19 countries and over 750,000 employees, and earlier held leadership roles at CNA Financial, Accenture and Mercer.

What will Emilee De Martino focus on first as Kroger’s Chief People Officer?

Emilee De Martino plans to start by engaging directly with Kroger associates nationwide. According to Kroger, she will visit stores, distribution centers, manufacturing facilities and offices to understand employee needs and help support the company’s people-first culture and employer-of-choice ambitions.

How many associates and customers does Kroger report serving as it appoints a new Chief People Officer?

Kroger reports having more than 400,000 associates serving over 11 million customers daily. According to Kroger, this large workforce and customer base highlights the scale of responsibility for the new Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, Emilee De Martino.

What education and executive training does Emilee De Martino bring to Kroger (KR)?

Emilee De Martino holds a BA in Business Administration & Management and an MBA. According to Kroger, she studied at Fort Hays State University and Kansas State University and completed Columbia University’s Creating & Executing Breakthrough Strategies executive program, supporting her leadership in people strategy.