Brian Cornell

Brian Cornell is best known for engineering one of retail's most remarkable turnarounds as Chairman and CEO of Target Corporation, and in doing so, positioning Target as a formidable force in the retail media network space. Under his leadership, Target launched and scaled Roundel, its proprietary retail media platform, which leverages first-party shopper data from over 200 million annual guests to offer highly targeted advertising solutions to brands. Roundel has grown into a multi-billion dollar business, placing Target among the top retail media networks competing with Amazon Advertising and Walmart Connect. Cornell joined Target in 2014 after serving as CEO of PepsiCo Americas Foods, where he oversaw major consumer brands and developed deep expertise in consumer behavior and data-driven marketing. Prior to PepsiCo, he held senior leadership roles at Safeway, Michaels Stores, and Sam's Club, building a career defined by operational excellence and consumer-centric strategy. His background across CPG and retail gave him a unique vantage point on how advertising, data, and commerce intersect. In the AdTech and retail media ecosystem, Cornell's significance lies in his strategic commitment to building owned media infrastructure rather than relying solely on third-party platforms. His investment in Target's digital capabilities, same-day fulfillment, and first-party data assets has made Roundel one of the most credible alternatives to walled garden advertising environments, attracting major brand advertisers seeking measurable, closed-loop attribution tied to actual purchase behavior.

Last updated Jun 24, 2026 by ATDb automated enrichment · Connections updated Jun 29, 2026