For millions of guests, a Target Run is part of their weekly—even daily—routines. Target welcomes them in, and inspires them with unique items and everyday essentials alike. Christina Hennington, just announced as Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer, Hardlines, Essentials and Capabilities, is leading the charge to ensure our product mix fulfills those needs. During her 16-year career at Target, Christina has held buying positions in Toys, Beauty, Healthcare, Electronics, Essentials and more, and she spearheaded transformative work in the way our Merchandising organization operates. As she gears up for a new chapter in her Target career, she highlights why it’s critical to get the basics right and what our guests can expect to see next.
Congratulations on your new role! Would you share a few of the achievements you’re most proud of?
I have to say, I’m so incredibly proud to be part of this team. There’s great talent all around, and I’ve seen time and time again how that helps everyone push further, think beyond the expected and elevate one another. We developed a completely new way of working in Merchandising. We built deeper expertise, and stood up entirely new disciplines and functions. We tackled transformation as a total team. I’m proud of my work in Beauty, as well. I’ve been in Beauty the longest and held five different roles. In Beauty, we’ve stayed innovative and hungry, which has kept us ahead of the competition. We’ve also leaned into inclusivity and sustainability to make Target a true leader in this category. That doesn’t happen overnight and it requires us to unlock the power of our collective team.
Capabilities are a new part of your role. Can you elaborate?
We always keep our guest at the center, and the work that we’re leading with our Capabilities team will ultimately help us better understand guest needs. It gives us tools to unlock innovative solutions and drive greater relevancy with our guests. Whether that’s localizing our assortment, developing new presentation strategies or bringing relevant digital solutions to them, we have the potential to continue to strengthen our guest experience. This work spans across our global teams and I’m looking forward to what’s next as we see that collaboration.
Essentials fuel the Target Run for our guests. What’s always in your basket?
What’s not in my basket? We are truly a Target family and we always find an excuse to make a Target run! More often than not, there are dog treats and a new pet toy, up & up anything, the newest seasonal Everspring scents, something in beauty—since there’s always a new or exclusive item to check out—and of course all of our groceries. Lately I have had more cough and cold medicine than I’d wish for, and my daughter has been finding ways to get me into electronics in hopes of getting her first mobile phone. Each trip is a bit different, but there’s no short list and no shortage of inspiration.
Photo: Stephen Allen
