Vitelli, Ballard Get Wider Roles In Best Buy Shift

By Alan Wolf -- TWICE, 3/8/2010

MINNEAPOLIS — Best Buy has instituted a reorganization of its management structure to support its global strategy, which has given Mike Vitelli and Shari Ballard expanded roles.

Vitelli has been named president of the Americas and Ballard has been named president for the Western Hemisphere. Separate structures and presidents have also been named for Europe and Asia.

All report to CEO Brian Dunn.

Both Vitelli and Ballard will keep their prior posts, he as executive VP of the customer operating group, and she as executive VP of retail channels.

In their added roles as president of the Americas and enterprise executive VPs, Vitelli will have additional responsibility for Canada. Ballard will oversee the company’s operations in Mexico, and both will jointly share leadership responsibility for the U.S.

In a statement, Dunn noted, “Last summer we launched the ‘Path to the Connected World’ to position the enterprise for our next era of growth — an era in which we will operate as a globally integrated enterprise, providing highvalue connectivity products and services to consumers around the world.

“One key change we identifi ed from the beginning was the need for a regional structure — with focused leadership and operations for the Americas, Europe and Asia — each supported by global capabilities. We are now ready to move to that structure.”