Vivek Sankaran

Vivek Sankaran is the CEO of Albertsons Companies, one of the largest food and drug retail chains in the United States, operating more than 2,200 stores under banners including Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, and Shaw's. Under his leadership, Albertsons has accelerated its digital and e-commerce capabilities and built out its retail media business, Albertsons Media Collective, which connects consumer packaged goods brands with Albertsons' large base of loyalty shoppers through targeted advertising across digital and in-store channels. Before joining Albertsons in 2019, Sankaran served as President and CEO of PepsiCo Foods North America, where he oversaw the Frito-Lay and Quaker Foods businesses. His background in consumer goods gave him deep insight into the retailer-brand relationship, which has informed Albertsons' strategy to monetize its first-party data through retail media. He also played a central role in the proposed merger between Albertsons and Kroger, which was ultimately blocked by regulators in 2024. Sankaran is regarded as a significant operator in the retail media space, as Albertsons Media Collective has grown into a meaningful advertising platform for CPG brands seeking to reach grocery shoppers with purchase-intent data.

Last updated Oct 24, 2026 by ATDb automated enrichment