Leah Weckert

Leah Weckert leads Coles Group, one of the two dominant grocery retailers in Australia (alongside Woolworths), operating over 850 supermarkets and nearly 1,000 liquor stores across the country. Coles was demerged from Wesfarmers in 2018 and has since operated as an independent listed company, though Wesfarmers retains a minority stake. The Australian grocery market is one of the most concentrated in the developed world, with Coles and Woolworths together controlling approximately 65% of the market. This duopoly structure, while drawing regulatory scrutiny and public criticism over food prices, provides both companies with significant scale advantages and relatively stable margins. Aldi is the primary disruptor as the third-largest player, with Costco and IGA providing additional competition. Weckert has focused on improving Coles' operational efficiency through the Smarter Selling program, investing in automation (including two new automated distribution centers built with Witron technology), enhancing private label penetration, and expanding online grocery delivery capabilities. Key stock drivers include Australian consumer spending, food inflation, market share dynamics with Woolworths, private label penetration, supply chain automation benefits, online grocery growth, and regulatory/political scrutiny of supermarket pricing and competition.