Grocery Outlet is taking on the new year with a couple of extra pairs of hands on deck. Recently, the grocer announced it will be expanding its Board of Directors with the addition of two new members, bringing the leadership ring to 12 members. Gail Moody-Byrd and María Fernanda Mejía stepped into their new roles on January 18, 2021.
Bringing more than 35 years of experience, Moody-Byrd is well-versed in B2B technology marketing and retail/wholesale industry consulting, merchandising, and planning. She currently serves as Chief Marketing Officer of Noodle.ai, where she oversees the entire marketing stack, including category and brand awareness, demand generation, digital marketing, and business development. Moody-Byrd is also a member of the Board of Directors of Juma Ventures. Prior to joining Noodle.ai, she worked for SAP SE for ten years, most recently as Vice President of Web Marketing. Her retail industry experience includes roles with divisions of Macy’s and Target Corporation; with Levi, Strauss & Co.; and as a Retail consultant with McKinsey & Company and Walter K. Levy Associates.
Mejía’s global career extends more than 30 years in general management and operations. She brings expertise in strategic planning, brand management, customer development, supply chain, digital engagement, M&A, and talent development. Mejía most recently served as Senior Vice President at The Kellogg Company and President of Kellogg Latin America. Additionally, she led the growth and transformation of Kellogg’s Latin America business and organization, including the development of a long-term strategy to accelerate growth in the core and emerging segments. As noted in the company’s release, she was a talent leader and diversity champion of Kellogg’s corporate and regional initiatives.
“We are pleased to be welcoming Gail and María Fernanda to our Board of Directors,” Erik Ragatz, Chairman of the Board, said. “Both are highly accomplished in their fields and bring tremendous experience to the organization. Gail’s background in brand awareness, technology, and data-driven consumer marketing and retail industry consulting, combined with María Fernanda’s experience in strategic planning, supply chain, and customer engagement further strengthen our Board. Importantly, Gail and María Fernanda are champions of diversity and strongly align with Grocery Outlet’s culture. We look forward to benefiting from their expertise, creativity, and enthusiasm as we continue to advance our long-term growth strategies.”
Moody-Byrd graduated with her MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration and received her BA in Economics from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. Mejía graduated from Texas A&M University College of Engineering with a BS in Industrial Distribution.
Prior to joining Kellogg, Mejía served as Corporate Vice President and General Manager of Global Personal Care at Colgate-Palmolive Company, where she had direct oversight of strategy, category, and brand development, consumer insights, R&D, and supply chain. Mejía currently serves as a Non-Executive Director at Bunzl PLC. She recently served as a Non-Executive Director of International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG), where she was a member of the Remuneration and the Audit and Compliance Committees.
Congratulations to Gail Moody-Byrd and María Fernanda Mejía as they chart their next journey!
