Job Title: CPO
Company: Shoprite Group
Dr Leigh Adams is currently the chief people officer at the Shoprite Group.
Before taking on the role in 2024, she served as head of group talent and learning solutions at Shoprite. Prior to joining Shoprite, she was the group head of talent at Woolworths, where she also served as head of organisation development for David Jones and Country Road Group Australia.
Earlier in her career, she was a senior organisation development specialist at Woolworths, manager of careers at the University of Stellenbosch Business School, group manager of learning, organisation development and talent at Pioneer Foods, manager of leadership development at Pioneer Foods, manager of HR development at The Ceres Beverage Company, an OD consultant at Santam, and a training officer at Mediclinic.
She holds a PhD in organisational leadership from the University of Johannesburg.
Work:
2024 – Present Chief people officer, Shoprite Group
2022 – 2025 Head of group talent and learning solutions, Shoprite Group
2018 – 2022 Group head of talent, Woolworths Holdings Limited
2019 – 2021 Head of organisation development, David Jones and Country Road Group Australia
2016 – 2018 Senior organisation development specialist, Woolworths
2015 – 2016 Manager: careers, University of Stellenbosch Business School
2012 – 2015 Group manager: learning, OD and talent, Pioneer Foods
2010 – 2012 Manager: leadership development, Pioneer Foods
2007 – 2010 Manager: HR development, The Ceres Beverage Company
2006 – 2007 OD consultant, Santam
2001 – 2006 Training officer, Mediclinic
Education:
2012 – 2018 PhD in organisational leadership, University of Johannesburg
2004 – 2007 Master's degree in industrial and organisational psychology, University of the Western Cape
2000 – 2001 BA honours in psychology, Stellenbosch University
About company: Shoprite Group is Africa’s largest retailer, operating a portfolio of supermarket, convenience, liquor and specialty store brands across more than 10 African countries. The group employs over 160,000 people and serves millions of customers through brands including Shoprite, Checkers and Usave.
