Coles is cutting 450 jobs from its Melbourne head office and reshuffling its management team as part of changes, announced by CEO Steven Cain, aimed at reducing costs and driving efficiency.

Cain told staff about the cuts yesterday, and while he did say that some of the cuts will come from vacant roles that have been unfilled, there will still be hundreds of staff set to lose their jobs.

The changes will also see two of Coles’ senior executives leaving the business as the supermarket giant looks to release funds to drive improvements in its online and convenience offering.

Alister Jordan, the CEO of Coles Express, Online and Corporate Affairs, will leave the company at the end of this year and Chief Store Operations Officer Paul Bradshaw will also leave before the end of the calendar year.

Greg Davies, Coles’ Chief Operating Officer has been appointed the Chief Executive of Commercial and will take over the running of Coles Express. Matthew Swindells, currently Chief Supply Chain Officer has been appointed as Chief Operations Officer and will also take over store operations and supply chain.

Coles has also appointed Ian Bowring, Metcash’s Transformation Director, as the head of the “smarter selling” business, a unit charged with reducing costs so that Coles can invest in convenience and online.

Coles also recently lost another member of its management team, with Director of fresh Food at Coles, Alex Freudmann leaving to take up the role of Managing Director of Dan Murphy’s.

A spokesperson for Coles confirmed to TheShout that Cathi Scarce is remaining in her role as the Acting CEO of Coles Liquor.

The cuts represent just under 10 per cent of the 4000 staff at Coles’ head office, and come less than a week before Cain will deliver an update to investors on the new strategy for the business.

Andy Young

Andy joined Intermedia as Editor of The Shout in 2015, writing news on a daily basis and also writing features for National Liquor News. Now Managing Editor of both The Shout and Bars and Clubs.

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