Pick n Pay has announced the appointment of Spencer Sonn as the interim CEO, who will start in February 2027. He will collaborate with the current CEO, Shaunne Summers, as part of the planned leadership transition.
The position takes effect on February 1, 2027. Sonn will work alongside current leader Shaunne Summers until the end of his contract in May 2028. Pick n Pay stated that this appointment will give Sonn time to adapt to the business and work with Summers on the company's ongoing turnaround process.
Previously, Sonn worked for 26 years at Woolworths South Africa, including five years as the managing director of the food division. Additionally, he has international retail experience in New Zealand, where he worked in business with corporate and franchise stores and approximately 22,000 employees.
Pick n Pay noted that Sonn's experience in fresh produce and food retail, as well as his operational and international experience, will be valuable to the group. Shaunne Summers said that Spencer expressed great admiration for the values and core principles upon which Pick n Pay is built.
Summers added that he considers it a privilege to join a brand, business, and team that plays such an important role in the lives of millions of South Africans. Sonn, in turn, called the appointment an exciting challenge after working in various areas of food retail, and expressed his readiness to participate in the continuation of the turnaround process.
Sonn's appointment comes as the retailer continues its turnaround strategy following a difficult period. This strategy includes efforts to strengthen the core supermarket business and improve financial performance.
Unresolved Restructuring Process
Earlier this year, Pick n Pay announced a restructuring process affecting over 22,000 employees in stores, but as of the article's writing, this process remained unresolved. Consultations are ongoing after the retailer's main union, SACCAWU, challenged the process in the Labour Court. The court dismissed the union's urgent application in August, ruling that consultations were still underway and that SACCAWU had not substantiated the need for urgent intervention.
The proposed reduction process does not mean that all 22,886 employees will be laid off. Pick n Pay offered changes to working hours, organizational structure, and other employment conditions as an alternative to dismissals. The company reported in August that successfully completing the Section 189A process remains crucial for achieving turnaround goals and the previously stated goal of reaching profitability.