Spencer Sonn has been named CEO-designate of Pick n Pay Stores, moving from Woolworths South Africa into a succession process that begins on February 1, 2027. Reuters reports that Sonn will work alongside current CEO Sean Summers before taking over when Summers’ contract expires in May 2028; Bloomberg describes the appointment as part of the retailer’s unfinished turnaround.
The timetable matters. Sonn is not arriving to make a sudden break with the current plan. Summers returned in 2023 to lead a recovery that included a recapitalisation, the listing of discounter Boxer and a restructuring of loss-making stores. The incoming CEO-designate will have a long period to learn the operation, work with the incumbent and prepare for the handoff.
A grocery operator for the next phase
Sonn spent 26 years at Woolworths South Africa, including five years as managing director of its food division. He also held senior roles in New Zealand, overseeing franchise and corporate stores with approximately 22,000 employees. Pick n Pay said he was a key driver of the food division’s success and growth. Sonn described the business as a strong, much-loved brand with motivated people and room to fulfil its potential.
The stated mandate is operational rather than theatrical: help restore profitability and market share in the core supermarket business while preserving a transition that customers, employees and investors can follow. That staged approach echoes Volvo Cars’ planned handoff to Klaus Zellmer, where the months before the formal change are part of the leadership work itself.
