Market research firm Circana has appointed Stuart Aitken as its new president and chief executive officer and member of the board, effective 1 January 2025.
He will succeed Kirk Perry, who has decided to step down from the role. Perry will continue to serve as a member of Circana's board of directors.
Currently, Aitken serves as senior vice president, chief merchandising and marketing officer at US retail giant, Kroger.
Tod Johnson, chair of the Circana Board, stated, “As part of the company’s succession planning process, Kirk and the rest of the Circana Board have been focused on identifying the ideal candidate to lead Circana well into the future, and we are confident we have found that in Stuart.
“His passionate leadership, strategic and innovative mindset, and extensive experience across the retail, technology, and data/analytics industries will create value for our company, our people, and the clients we serve globally.”
Stuart Aitken
Aitken is an experienced professional, who took up the role of chief merchant and marketing officer in 2019.
He was instrumental in leading transformation at Kroger by focusing on people and culture, data and insights, and shopper transformation.
He also developed a more customer-centric approach to merchandising and marketing at Kroger, aimed at driving high-margin digital revenue streams, including data, analytics and retail media.
Aitken commented, “As a longtime partner to Circana, I have a deep appreciation for the power of its platform and the critical role Circana plays across the consumer ecosystem.
“With best-in-class technology, data, and expertise, Circana will continue to drive growth and innovation across a wide breadth of global clients and industries.”
