US chain retailer BestBuy has appointed Neal Sample as its new chief digital and technology officer, replacing Brian Tilzer who is departing after more than seven years at the firm, according to a report by Bloomberg.

Sample joins the consumer electronics retailer after working for almost two years at pharmacy, health and beauty retailer Walgreens Boots Alliance. He joined the company as a tech consultant in 2023 and was promoted to executive vice president and chief information officer after two months.

Prior to that, he was chief information officer at the life insurance company Northwestern Mutual for almost three years. There, his responsibilities included optimising and centralising the technology function and modernising the existing infrastructure.

From 2012 to 2016, he was at American Express, where he served as group president for the last two years of his tenure.

At the bank holding company, he led all aspects of commerce and delivery, overseeing a diverse consumer and B2B portfolio.

Prior to that, Sample held senior roles at well-known companies including Yahoo, where he was vice president of social, open and membership platforms for two years, and eBay, where he served as chief tech officer for nearly two years.

In a LinkedIn post, departing chief technology officer Tilzer said that during his tenure he focused on developing applications and implementing artificial intelligence to improve Best Buy's customer service systems.

“I am so proud of how together we digitally enhanced Best Buy’s experiences and operations to serve consumer electronics customers better than ever before – we now incorporate data, AI, and other technology into the business at levels of scale, sophistication, and impact that was unimaginable back when I joined the company in 2018,” he said.

In an internal note seen by Bloomberg, Best Buy chief executive Corie Barry emphasised Sample’s diverse experience across both traditional and tech focused businesses.

"Neal has a unique background having spent time in legacy businesses, as well as in high-tech and digitally native companies," Barry stated. “His personal leadership values, will help the company move with greater speed, clarity and conviction.”

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