Woolworths is moving away from a centralised security executive following the departure of its chief security officer, and will have separate executives for physical and information security.
With chief security officer (CISO) Pieter van der Merwe leaving the company after being in charge of both physical and information security, Woolworths has reinstated the CISO role and divided the roles once again. Van der Merwe was previously the CISO at Woolworths for seven years prior to taking on the joint role.
The supermarket hired Elrich Engel as its new CISO, which he celebrated on LinkedIn, and he also discussed the company’s shift towards AI.
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“I feel privileged to join such an iconic brand with a humble purpose, a fantastic culture, and a deep connection to the customers and communities it serves,” he said.
“I am truly excited about the road ahead as the company undergoes a significant, multi-year technology transformation. We are shifting from traditional retail toward a data-driven, AI-enabled, and highly automated omnichannel business.”
Engel brings his AI understanding from his time at Google’s Mandiant, where he was the executive strategic adviser for two and a half years.
According to iTnews, Woolworths’ shift towards separate roles comes as the CISO role becomes more complex and specialised, likely as the company moves more towards data and AI.
The responsibility of physical security is now back in the hands of the Woolworths’ resilience team. The large presence of Woolworths in Australia and New Zealand is understood to have also contributed to the decision to split the role.
According to a Woolworths spokesperson, speaking with iTnews, Engel began the new role “earlier this month”.
“As a highly accomplished senior cyber security executive, we’re pleased to have him on board,” the spokesperson said.
“Elrich’s dedicated focus leading our cyber security teams signals the importance of maintaining safe and secure shopping experiences for our customers.”
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Daniel Croft
Born in the heart of Western Sydney, Daniel Croft is a passionate journalist with an understanding for and experience writing in the technology space. Having studied at Macquarie University, he joined Momentum Media in 2022, writing across a number of publications including Australian Aviation, Cyber Security Connect and Defence Connect. Outside of writing, Daniel has a keen interest in music, and spends his time playing in bands around Sydney.