Kmart and Target taps new customer tech lead

AGL’s general manager of technology - retail and energy Tara Richards has moved to Kmart and Target to take up a general manager of technology role covering its stores and digital operations.

Kmart and Target’s general manager of technology - stores and digital Tara Richards.

On the Kmart side, she replaces Vicki Miller, who was appointed as oil and gas company BP’s director of innovation and engineering of A/NZ in February. 

In a LinkedIn post reflecting on her eight years in the role, Miller said that she developed “new technologies to enter new markets and stood up RFID and robot store technologies in record time.”

Richards announced her new gig at Kmart and Target in a LinkedIn post but neither of the retailers replied to iTnews’ requests to confirm the appointment.

Around the middle of last year, Wesfarmers contracted Brian Somerville to take on the role at both subsidiaries on an interim basis. He joined from Judo Bank where was chief digital officer. 

Richards worked at AGL for two years in its customer markets business unit, which manages AGL’s retail (energy, telecommunications), distributed energy and energy trading environments.

She was promoted to general manager of the unit during a restructure in December 2021.