Coles has announced the appointment of Claire Lauber as Coles Liquor Chief Executive, with Michael Courtney moving to the new role of Chief Customer and Digital Officer.

Both Lauber and Courtney will report directly to Coles Chief Executive Leah Weckert on the Coles Executive Leadership Team.

Courtney is currently Coles Liquor Chief Executive, where he has been leading the team to serve customers across almost 1,000 stores. He is also transforming the customer offering from a three-banner strategy to a single Liquorland brand. He replaced former CEO Darren Blackhurst in 2023.

The Chief Customer and Digital Officer role is a newly combined portfolio that Coles said highlights a growing emphasis on omnichannel shopping, integrating our in-store and online experiences.

Claire Lauber is currently Executive General Manager Supermarket Operations where she oversees the operation of 850 supermarkets and nearly 100,000 team members. Her appointment as Chief Executive Liquor sees her promoted to the Coles executive team.

She has significant experience across major retailers including Coles, Boost Juice, Jo Mercer, Woolworths, and Treasury Wine Estates.

Coles Chief Executive Leah Weckert said: “Michael and Claire are accomplished executives who are having a strong impact in the Coles Group.

“Michael’s appointment reflects his deep understanding of our business and broad career experience. He has consistently shown he can lead through change, build strong teams and deliver for our customers.

“Claire is an empowering leader who has driven record team engagement levels in supermarkets. She knows our team and customers deeply, with a proven focus on culture, team capability and operational improvement. She will be an exceptional addition to our executive team.”