Uwe Stueckmann has taken on additional duties at Loblaw, having been named the grocer’s chief customer officer.

Stueckmann succeeds Garry Senecal, who announced in April that he would be stepping down from the company this summer.

Stueckmann, who previously served as SVP of marketing, will continue to lead marketing Loblaw, as well as its Loblaw media division. However, he takes on additional oversight of the company’s brands, digital and loyalty operations, and its customer centre of excellence, according to Catherine Thomas, senior director of external communication at Loblaw.

“In recent months, it has become very clear that Canadians are counting on us to deliver simple digital experiences, trustworthy brands, and value-add and customized loyalty opportunities,” Thomas said in a statement sent to strategy. “Uwe’s appointment reflects his strong reputation as a personable, strategic and innovative leader, with an aptitude for using data-driven insights to develop transparent and creative customer communication.”

The CCO role at Loblaw was created in 2017 and “brings cohesive, focused leadership to our major consumer touchpoints,” she said.

Senecal had held the title since 2018, announcing in April that he would leave after helping the brand navigate the worst of the pandemic.

Stueckmann first joined the company in 2009, having previously worked at Lowe’s, Shoppers Drug Mart and Loyalty One. He had served as SVP marketing since 2011.

Loblaw – along with competitors Metro and Sobey’s – came under fire last month after ending the $2 an hour raise it had been giving frontline workers in stores, even as its own profits continued to climb during the pandemic. A few days later, MPs on the House of Commons industry committee unanimously voted to call executives from all three companies testify about the decisions coming down on the same day, though it is unclear when they will be asked to appear.