2LT National News
Woolworths appoints new Country Road CEO
Apr 29, 2021
Clothing retailer Woolworths has appointed Raju Vuppalapati as the new CEO of its Australia subsidiary, Country Road with effect from 1 July.
Vuppalapati succeeds Scott Fyfe who was CEO of Country Road from 2016, the group said in a statement on Thursday.
Fyfe who was appointed as the CEO of David Jones in October 2020 replaced Ian Moir as interim head of David Jones, a position he held for eight months.
Vuppalapati, based in Sydney, joins Country Road from RM Williams, an Australian brand where he has been CEO from 2014. During this time, he is said to have successfully led the turnaround of the business, through repositioning the brand, expanding global distribution and building a distinctive online offering.
Prior to joining RM Williams, Vuppalapati was a Levi Strauss & Co regional managing director where he was responsible for the Australian, New Zealand, African, and Middle East markets.
“Raju’s extensive industry experience and exemplary track record in building teams and driving performance across diverse markets will position him well to lead Country Road and its portfolio of iconic brands. He is going to be a great addition to our team, and I look forward to his contribution and leadership at this exciting time for Country Road Group,” said Roy Bagattini, Woolworths group CEO.
Bagattini is also an ex-Levi Strauss & Co executive.
Vuppalapati said he is delighted to be joining Country Road and to be working with a portfolio of some of Australia’s most iconic and most loved clothing and lifestyle brands. “It is a great business, and I am looking forward to working closely with the talented Country Road team. This is an incredibly dynamic time in retail and I am excited by the opportunities ahead.”
