Brad Banducci

Bradford Banducci is a South African Australian businessman and is the outgoing CEO of the Woolworths Group due to retire in September 2024. He has attained degrees from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa and the UNSW Business School in Australia.

Banducci became Managing Director and CEO of the Woolworths Group in 2016 and announced his retirement from the Woolworths Group after making national headlines when he walked out of an interview discussing price gouging with ABC's Four Corners program.

Early life and education
Brad Banducci grew up in Boksburg, South Africa, where he worked with his father on selling sewing machines. His success in this endeavour as a teenager resulted in him being named the top sewing machine salesman for three years in a row starting from age 16. He studied at the University of KwaZulu-Natal where he completed a Bachelor of Commerce, Economics and Accounting and a Bachelor of Law, Tax and Company Law. He moved to Australia in 1988, where he attended the UNSW Business School, getting his Masters of Business Administration, Economics, Finance and Corporate Strategy and graduating in 1991.

Career
After receiving his university qualifications, Banducci worked for the Boston Consulting Group for 14 years serving as the vice president and director of the company, servicing the Australia, New Zealand and Asia Pacific regions. He then served as the CFO and director of Tyro Payments before he became the CEO of the Cellarmasters Group in 2007. Banducci joined the Woolworths Group in 2011 when they acquired Cellarmasters. In 2012, Banducci was made director of the Woolworths' Drinks business and was then promoted to managing director of the Woolworths Food Group in March 2015. In February 2016, Banducci became the managing director CEO of the Woolworths Group.

Banducci is set to retire from the Woolworths Group in September 2024. The announcement occurred days after Banducci made national headlines for walking out of an interview with the ABC's Four Corners as part of their investigation into price gouging by major supermarkets in Australia. During a Senate committee hearing on supermarket practices, Banducci was evasive when questioned about the company's return on equity (ROE). Greens Senator Nick McKim responded by threatening to hold Banducci in contempt.