Latest executive change under CEO Brian Cornell

MINNEAPOLIS – In the latest in a series of executive changes under chairman and chief executive officer Brian Cornell, Jose Barra is leaving Target Corp. to take a new position elsewhere.

Barra, who joined Target in 2004 as a strategy group manager, most recently served as executive vice president of merchandising, responsible for Target’s beauty, electronics, entertainment, grocery, health care, household and chemicals, personal care, pets, toys, and sporting goods businesses. He was promoted to that position last year and was one of three merchandising executives who reported to Target’s then chief merchant, Kathryn Tesija.

Tesija stepped down from her post effective July 6, moving into an advisory role and leaving the chief merchant position vacant. Target is searching for a replacement.

Some of Target’s recent moves under Cornell, who took over as chairman and CEO just over one year ago, affect businesses that were under Barra’s direction. As part of his responsibility for health care, for example, Barra had oversight of Target’s pharmacies. Target announced in June that it will sell its in-store pharmacies to CVS Health, which will rebrand them and operate them under its own name.

And back in April Target hired former Safeway executive Anne Dament to help remake the retailer’s grocery business, which was another area under Barra’s oversight.