Meet the serial CEO taking over Kroger: He started his career stacking supermarket shelves and went all in on retail at 17 thanks to his persistent mom

Core Insights - Kroger has appointed Greg Foran as its new CEO, marking a significant leadership change for the $43 billion supermarket retailer [1][5] - Foran's appointment has resulted in an 8% increase in Kroger's shares, indicating positive market reception [5] Background of Greg Foran - Foran began his career at Woolworths in New Zealand, starting as a part-time shelf stocker at the age of 17 [2][3] - He was encouraged by his mother to pursue a career in retail, leading him to apply for a trainee manager position at Woolworths [3] - Over a 30-year career at Woolworths, Foran quickly rose through the ranks, becoming one of the youngest store managers at the age of 20 [4] Previous Leadership Experience - Foran has a 14-year history of serving as CEO at billion-dollar companies, including Walmart and Air New Zealand [6][8] - After leaving Woolworths, he joined Walmart, where he became president and CEO of Walmart China in 2012, later overseeing Walmart U.S. [7] - Foran's leadership at Air New Zealand began in 2020 during the pandemic, which significantly impacted the travel industry [8]