Exclusive: Kingfisher tech chief to leave as ‘next phase of digital journey’ begins

Van Oosten, who has been at the B&Q owner since early 2020, will leave this month, Kingfisher chief executive Thierry Garnier told staff in a memo.

Van Oosten, a former chief digital officer of Lego, joined Kingfisher as the pandemic began, prompting a massive shift to ecommerce as consumers were locked down.

Garnier wrote: “After three years successfully leading the first stage of our digital transformation, JJ has decided that now is the right time to hand over responsibilities for the next phase and pursue new personal projects.

“JJ has played a key role in the implementation of our Powered by Kingfisher strategy. Under his tenure, we have increased ecommerce sales penetration from 8% to 16% of total sales, using a unique model that places stores at the centre of our ecommerce operations. 

“We have developed and successfully launched marketplaces in B&Q and Brico Dépôt Spain and Portugal, with a clear roadmap for further expansion. We have also successfully transformed our digital capability, building high-performing teams in multiple areas and attracting strong talent to Kingfisher.

“We are now starting the next phase of our ecommerce and digital journey. It will see us build on these strong foundations as we push forward with our mission to provide more choice and convenience for customers and grow further our digitally enabled sales.

”From maximising the benefits of data science and cloud-based architecture, to faster fulfilment and the continued rollout of our marketplaces, we have lots of opportunities and exciting projects ahead of us. With the talented team we have built with JJ, we are well placed for this new journey.”