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KFC chief marketing officer Meghan Farren is leaving the fast-food giant to join Asda in October as the supermarket’s chief customer officer.
Prior to her decade at KFC, Farren began her career at JPMorganChase, then spent five years in strategy consulting across various retail and FMCG sectors, followed by roles in sales, category management and brand marketing at Gü Puds.
At Asda, she will lead the development and strategy of the brand’s total customer proposition, marketing and management of its brands, leading a team of more than 250, based in Leeds and Lutterworth.
Farren, who featured in Campaign’s Power 100 in 2020, replaces Anna-Maree Shaw, who returned to her native Australia in January 2021. As a result, Preyash Thakrar, Asda’s chief strategy officer, provided interim leadership support to the Asda customer team over the past seven months and will continue to do so until Farren joins the business later in the year.
Roger Burnley, Asda's chief executive, said; “Meg brings a wealth of experience to this role from her time at KFC, and her combination of creative instinct and experience, customer-centric approach and track record in leading high-performing teams will be a great addition to Asda as we take the next exciting step forward on our journey.
"I am also very grateful for all Preyash has delivered over the last year – stepping across to support the customer team as well as his role as chief strategy officer. I look forward to his continued contribution when he returns to [the strategy role] as part of our leadership team.”
Farren added: “It is a real privilege to lead the customer team of such an iconic British brand that not only has such a rich heritage but also deep roots in its communities and a place in the heart of most British households. I am looking forward to a big challenge and the chance to do epic things with a wonderful group of people.”
In May, Havas won the £52m creative account for the supermarket giant.
