Lidl U.S. adds to C-suite, leadership team

Lidl U.S. has made new appointments to the company’s leadership team, including two C-suite positions.

Miguel Paradela has been appointed executive VP of purchasing and chief commercial officer, responsible for setting the long-term strategy for the buying and merchandising function at Lidl U.S. Paradela has over 25 years of experience with the international grocer, where he most recently served as the general manager of purchasing and marketing for Lidl Spain.

Frank Kerr has been appointed as Lidl U.S.’s first-ever chief customer officer, responsible for driving a “holistic consumer experience.” Kerr, who returns for a second stint at Lidl U.S., where he was one of the first 50 employees, will oversee consumer insights, marketing, loyalty and promotions. Kerr has been in the U.S. grocery industry for over 20 years, with experience at Save A Lot and Nestle. 

Tod Seiling has joined Lidl U.S. as VP of Fresh. He will oversee all fresh food buying including meat, fish, poultry and produce. Joining most recently from Save a Lot where he served as VP of fresh merchandising, Seiling has spent his entire career in fresh food, and previously held roles at Walmart, Albertsons and Rouses Market.

Finally, Michel Chao has joined Lidl U.S. as VP, head of marketing. Over the course of his career, Chao has held senior marketing roles for Dollar General, Joann Stores and Walmart. At Lidl U.S., he will be responsible for driving brand awareness and customer loyalty as the business continues to grow in the U.S. market.

“I am excited to welcome Miguel, Frank, Tod and Michael to the team,” said Lidl U.S. CEO Joe Rampoldt. “Their combined expertise, incredible leadership and the work of their talented teams will be crucial to our success as we continue to deliver high quality products at low prices for our customers. At Lidl, we are committed to boosting the customer experience at all of our stores and having the right talent in place is necessary to achieve our goals.” 

Lidl operates more than 12,000 stores and is active in 32 countries, employing more than 360,000 employees globally. Headquartered in Virginia, Lidl U.S. operates more than 170 stores in nine East Coast states and Washington D.C.