Sandra Sanderson

Chief Marketing Officer, Empire Company Limited and Sobeys Inc.

Sandra Sanderson is the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Empire Company Limited and Sobeys Inc., two prominent Canadian companies in the retail and food distribution sector.1 2 With a career spanning several decades, Sanderson has established herself as a respected leader in the marketing industry.

Career Highlights

Sandra Sanderson joined Empire Company Limited in 2018, recruited by CEO Michael Medline as part of a significant transformation strategy for the company.1 In her role as CMO, she oversees a wide range of functions, including:

Brand marketing
Sports partnerships
Loyalty programs
Community investments
Consumer insights
In-house creative agency

Prior to joining Empire, Sanderson held executive positions at several major companies, including:

Walmart Canada
Shoppers Drug Mart
Universal Studios
Canada Post
Coca-Cola
Kraft
Procter & Gamble

Key Achievements

Scene+ Loyalty Program:: Sanderson led Empire's transition from Air Miles to become a co-owner of Scene+ with Scotiabank and Cineplex. This move resulted in Scene+ becoming the second-largest loyalty program in Canada, with over 15 million members.1

Sports Partnerships:: Under her leadership, Empire became the first-ever "Official Grocer of Team Canada," creating a strong emotional connection with customers through sports sponsorship.1

Brand Transformation:: Sanderson has been instrumental in developing clear positioning for each of Empire's banners, including Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Foodland, and Thrifty Foods.1

Leadership Philosophy

Sanderson's leadership style can be characterized by what she calls "confident humility." This approach emphasizes the importance of empowering team members and recognizing that a leader doesn't need to be an expert in every area.1

Background

Born in Hong Kong, Sanderson immigrated to Canada with her parents at the age of eight. She developed an early interest in marketing during her high school years, attracted by its unique blend of art and science and the opportunity to build customer relationships.1

Sandra Sanderson's LinkedIn profile can be found under the username sandra-sanderson-072a376, where more details about her professional experience and education are available.2