Sydney, March 6, 2026, 17:44 AEDT
- Woolworths filed a notice showing director Tracey Fellows left its board on March 1
- The retailer has flagged tech veteran Jon Alferness as a new non-executive director
- Woolworths shares were last at A$35.99 late Friday afternoon
Woolworths Group Ltd said in a stock exchange filing that director Tracey Fellows ceased to be a director on March 1, formalising a board change flagged earlier this year.
The update matters because Australia’s biggest grocer is leaning harder on digital capability — online shopping, delivery and customer data — while competition stays tight and shoppers remain price-sensitive. Board oversight has become a sharper talking point for the sector.
Woolworths has also been rotating board skills as it tries to keep pace with rivals, including Coles Group, and with discount players that have been expanding across the country. The company has pitched “digital” and “eCommerce” experience as central to how it wants to run.
The Appendix 3Z filing — a final director’s interest notice lodged when a director leaves — showed Fellows had no shares as a registered holder. It listed an indirect interest in 4,382 shares held through a superannuation nominee and 2,788 shares held under the Woolworths Group Non-Executive Directors Equity Plan.
Woolworths chair Scott Perkins said in a January board update that Jon Alferness would join as a non-executive director, and called his background “highly relevant” as the industry shifts toward “digital, media and eCommerce”.
Perkins also thanked Fellows for her “dedication and insights”, saying her experience in “digital and member platforms” had been valuable on the board and its committees.
Alferness is a technology and product executive whose recent roles include chief product officer at Walmart U.S., and earlier senior roles at Google, Woolworths said. He is due to stand for election at the company’s 2026 annual general meeting.
Woolworths shares were at A$35.99 at 4:11 p.m. local time, up 0.07% on the day, according to the company’s investor page. 1
Still, the shift in board mix is no quick fix. Grocery margins can come under pressure if discounting deepens, and heavy spending on delivery and online fulfilment can take time to pay back.
For Woolworths, the next clear checkpoint is the AGM vote on Alferness’s appointment and any fresh detail on how the board plans to steer investment in online retail while keeping costs in check.
