Andrew Hicks, Woolworths’ CMO, is set to depart the grocer on 30 June this year.
Hicks joined the Woolworths Group in 2008, first with Dan Murphys before rising through the ranks to become the overall Woolworths Group’s chief marketer. His decision to leave the business was made a few months ago, B&T understands. He has been in the role for five years, a long time for a CMO, particularly during such a tumultuous time for society at large.
He will remain as a strategic brand consultancy role to assist new CEO Amanda Bardwell. Hicks is currently exploring a number of options locally and overseas.
Bardwell thanked Hicks in a note to staff.
“As a member of the Group Executive Team for the last 10 years, Andrew’s strategic, creative and leadership skills have had an impact in a wide variety of ways including the Group’s response to Covid, award-winning marketing campaigns and helping to set up Cartology. Andrew has been instrumental in establishing our Woolworths Group Brand including our Group purpose of creating better experiences together for a better tomorrow. Most recently Andrew’s keen sense of our customers’ needs has been invaluable as we reassert our focus on value,” said Bardwell.
“Prior to this, Andrew was Director of Marketing, Woolworths Food Group and Supermarkets where he played a pivotal role in the turnaround of the Woolworths brand, including through the ‘Thats why I pick Woolies’ brand platform, adding immense value over his tenure. In his time in the Woolworths Liquor Group, Andrew led the transformation of the BWS brand and extended Dan Murphy’s lead as Australia’s most iconic drinks retail brand.”
Bardwell said Hicks will support both her and CustomerX MD Jane Danziger, as the pair plot out strategies for CustomerX and the Group for FY26 and beyond.
Hicks himself said it had been an “enormous privilege” to be part of the Woolies leadership team.
“I’ve decided that It’s the right time for me to take the next step in my career and I’m really excited to pursue new opportunities,” he said.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have had a variety of leadership roles across Drinks, Food and Group and there’s always been so much to learn and do in such an innovative customer-focussed organisation. It has been really rewarding to build brands that serve 22 million Australians every week.
“There are so many highlights across Dan Murphy’s, BWS, Big W and the Group but the turnaround of Woolworths in 2016/2017 was a particular career highlight. It was so exciting to see customers respond so positively and quickly to the launch of the ‘That’s why I pick Woolies’ brand platform and the team’s efforts rewarded by achieving Brand of The Year.
“I have been privileged to have been surrounded by such a talented and committed Brand and Marketing team including our agency partners. Together, we established the innovative Greenhouse agency model and celebrated collectively as Marketing Team of the Year. I wanted to express my gratitude to the team for striving for excellence every day and for the camaraderie over the years.”
Hicks has been a longstanding member of the B&T CMO Power List, present in ever year thus far. As Bardwell’s note mentioned, he has been responsible for some of the most defining recent changes to the Woolworths brand.
Woolworths currently operates a bespoke agency model, the Greenhouse, which includes longstanding creative partner M&C Saatchi as well as its Cartology and WooliesX.
M&C Saatchi’s group CEO, Justin Graham, told B&T that working with Hicks over his time with the Woolworths Group had been an “incredible privilege”.
“His passion for the customer and belief in creativity has been inspirational for all of us,” said Graham.
“His list of achievements is long and recognition is well deserved. From the launch of ‘That’s why I pick Woolies’ to the highly awarded Woolworths Paris Olympic work and the recent focus on customer value, he leads with care, passion and integrity. He has created enormous value for the brands he has led and frankly has made M&C Saatchi a better agency as a driving force of our bespoke partnership model. I wish him all the best for this next exciting chapter.”
However, the Woolies brand has had a tough time over the last 12 months. In January, data from Roy Morgan showed that Woolworths ha replaced Optus as the most distrusted brand in Australia, while Coles has followed closely, recording the second-highest level of distrust on record.
“Distrust has a far more potent impact on consumer behaviour than trust,” said Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine.
“While trust creates loyalty, distrust can drive customers into the welcoming arms of more trusted brands. The reputational fall of Woolworths and Coles is a powerful reminder of the fragility of trust in today’s environment.”
Following allegations of price-gouging, the trust built up among the two leading supermarket chains has deteriorated.
“The pandemic placed the major supermarkets at the centre of Australian lives,” Levine continued.
“But the goodwill they built during that period has been reversed by perceptions of too profit-motivated and unaffordable pricing.”
