What you need to know:

• Lisa Ronson exits after three and a half years leading Coles marketing function.
• Move follows overhaul of agency arrangements and comes ahead of full financial year results.
• Coles now hunting new chief marketers, CFO Leah Weckert will lead marketing function in interim.

Coles CMO Lisa Ronson is to leave the company. It is not yet clear who will succeed the former Westpac, Telstra, Visa and CUB marketer who joined the retailer from Tourism Australia in 2019. Coles is now recruiting both nationally and internationally, with CFO Leah Weckert to lead marketing in the interim.

The move comes ahead of full financial year results next week. While there are rumblings of pushback from Coles' powerful merchandising team on the broader marketing strategy, Ronson dismissed those rumours as "false" and said she had decided to call time and pursue a portfolio career.

In a statement to staff from Coles Group CEO Steven Cain: 

“After more than three years with Coles, Chief Marketing Officer Lisa Ronson has decided to leave the business to pursue external career interests, including non-executive directorships and her role as Adjunct Professor at Deakin University. With her future aspirations in mind Lisa has recently completed the AICD course.

“We would like to thank Lisa for her significant contribution to Coles. She leaves behind a strong and engaged marketing team and a long list of achievements."

He added: "We are working through transition arrangements with Lisa and anticipate that she will leave Coles in September. We have commenced a local and global search to fill this important ELT role, and in the interim, Leah Weckert will assume responsibility for marketing. The five marketing GMs will transition to report to Leah effective mid-September."

Ronson listed “leading the significant digital transformation of our marketing communications, launched the exciting Coles Media business, landed our ‘Value the Australian Way’ platform and breakthrough ‘Together to Zero’ sustainability platform,” as highlights, while steering the marketing function though “some very challenging times” across the pandemic and its aftermath. “Seeing the company grow into one of Australia most trusted brands is something I feel immensely proud to have been a part of,” said Ronson via LinkedIn. "It’s been a pleasure working at such a dynamic organisation."

Ronson will remain in place until September. While stating that she aims to pursue multiple non-exec roles after 20 years in marketing, Ronson refused to rule out taking on another CMO position.

The move follows a major overhaul of the retailer’s agency arrangements, co-led by General Manager for Brand Design and Digital, Sam McLeod, brought in last year to revamp brand and digital marketing strategy.

That process saw Omnicom retain the business, with Deloitte delivering broader business transformation, now more closely aligned to the hybrid in-house structure. Longstanding partner Big Red exited, though it is understood that Omnicom may now look to hire some senior Big Red production leads.

Coles is also racing to catch rival Woolworths in building out a retailer media business, with the two aiming to join the dots across their respective group businesses.

Ronson will also step down from her board role at Flybuys, the loyalty scheme jointly owned by Coles Group and Wesfarmers.