Kingfisher poaches McDonald's exec Pierre Woreczek for newly-created chief customer officer role

Woreczek, who spent a total of 17 years at the fast food giant, including the last six as chief strategy, customer and digital officer, will take up his new position on March 1.

He will also become a member of Kingfisher’s executive board.

At McDonald’s, Woreczek oversaw a wide-ranging remit, including responsibility for strategy, research, marketing, product innovation, user experience, design and construction of restaurants, digital and CSR.

He played a key role in developing a new store service platform and enhanced McDonald’s customer-centric credentials through its social networking activity and use of new technology.

Prior to joining McDonald’s, Woreczek sent two years at confectionary giant Cadbury in France, where he was in charge of marketing and research and development for a number of chocolate, sweet and chewing gum brands.

Customer focus

Kingfisher said Woreczek has been drafted in to help “design the customer experience” both in store and online, and to “integrate customers’ knowledge and insight” into the customer journey.

“This is a great opportunity to join a business at a really interesting stage in its development.”

Pierre Woreczek

The appointment forms part of boss Véronique Laury’s ‘ONE’ Kingfisher plan to leverage the scale of the global DIY business by becoming a “single, unified company.” The business, which also owns Screwfix in the UK, will invest £800m over the next five years in a bid to add £500m to its bottom line.

Laury said: “I am delighted to welcome Pierre to Kingfisher. He is a highly experienced international executive with a strong track record in marketing, operational and customer‐facing roles.

“I look forward to working with him as we develop the ‘ONE’ Kingfisher plan and become a single, unified company where customer needs always come first.”

Woreczek added: “This is a great opportunity to join a business at a really interesting stage in its development. I look forward to working with all the teams to continue Kingfisher’s journey to create good homes by making home improvement accessible to everyone.”

Woreczek is the second recent appointment to join the ranks of retail from McDonald’s. Halford’s chief executive Jill McDonald joined the cycling and automotive parts retailer last year following nine years as chief marketing officer and chief executive at the fast food chain.