End of an era for Pick n Pay and Boxer

Pick n Pay and Boxer announced that their respective chief executives, Sean Summers and Marek Masojada, will step down.

On Monday, 12 October 2026, Boxer announced that Masojada will retire at the end of February 2027. This is the end of the retailer’s financial year.

Masojada joined Boxer in 1993, when the business had just five stores and an annual turnover of R120 million.

He helped grow the company into a 600-store network, establishing Boxer as South Africa’s leading discount retailer.

He spent 25 years as Boxer’s head of finance before being appointed Managing Executive in 2019 and CEO in 2024.

During his tenure, he played a key role in Boxer’s growth and expansion, maintaining its low-price proposition while building the operational platform.

Masojada also led Boxer through its successful JSE listing in November 2024 and its transition to a listed company.

Justin Galloway, an internal successor, was appointed as CEO-designate with immediate effect.

“Masojada’s retirement forms part of the planned succession process established by Boxer at the time of its JSE listing in November 2024,” the company said.

It added that Galloway’s appointment followed an extensive process that considered both internal and external candidates.

He spent 14 years with Boxer, holding senior leadership roles spanning finance, store operations, and supply chain.

“I am proud of how Boxer has grown, and I will retire knowing that the business is in a strong position,” Masojada said.

“I’m confident Boxer has the executive leadership, strategy, people, and capabilities to grow and succeed at pace.”

Galloway will formally assume the role of CEO on 1 March 2027. This phased transition will see the incoming and outgoing CEOs work alongside one another for five months.

Sean Summers leaving Pick n Pay

On 22 September 2026, Pick n Pay announced that it had appointed Spencer Sonn as its CEO designate.

Sonn is set to take over from the current CEO, Sean Summers, in May 2028, and will work closely with Summers starting from 1 February 2027.

Sonn has operational retail experience, strong credentials in fresh food and grocery, and international experience.

He has spent the majority of his career at Woolworths, which he joined in 2002 as a Category Manager.

He served as managing director at Woolworths New Zealand for five years before returning to Woolworths South Africa as its Chief Customer Officer.

“Spencer brings to Pick n Pay a wealth of retail knowledge as well as a proven track record of leadership in some challenging conditions in New Zealand,” Pick n Pay said.

“His experience abroad is valuable given the similarities to Pick n Pay’s operations in that it encompassed both Franchise and Corporate stores, and 22,000 employees.”

Summers has led the retailer’s turnaround since 2023, and part of his role was identifying a successor before his contract expires in May 2028.

“This gives ample time for Sonn to settle into executive leadership and work with Summers on the company’s turnaround,” the retailer said.

Summers said that Sonn has expressed admiration for the values and founding principles that Pick n Pay was built on.

“He considers it a privilege to be joining a brand, a business and a team that plays such a vital role in the lives of millions of South Africans,” Summers said.

“We are in the fortunate position of being able to appoint a highly skilled executive of Spencer’s calibre.”