Sriram Samu is the Vice President of Engineering for Customer Technology at Kroger, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is an accomplished technology executive with an extensive background in retail and digital transformation, bringing deep expertise in engineering and product development. Sriram’s educational credentials include a degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, underscoring a strong technical foundation.
Role and Responsibilities
As VP Engineering, Customer Technology, Sriram Samu oversees the design, development, and delivery of technology platforms that enable seamless omnichannel customer experiences for Kroger. His leadership focuses on advancing Kroger’s capabilities in retail and e-commerce technology, delivering innovative solutions to enhance customer engagement across digital and physical touchpoints. His portfolio includes initiatives to unify Kroger’s commerce platforms and improve associate experiences via advanced digital tools.
He has publicly discussed Kroger’s approach to building technology infrastructures that power large-scale omnichannel retail environments, emphasizing platform scale, resilience, and customer-centric design. For example, he has highlighted the integration of distributed SQL architectures and partnerships with technology vendors like YugabyteDB to drive performance and scalability.
Industry and Digital Initiatives
Sriram has been vocal about Kroger’s strategic technology initiatives, including partnerships to enhance digital associate experiences using platforms such as OneView. These efforts contribute to Kroger’s ongoing digital transformation goals aimed at improving operational agility and customer service quality.
He has delivered keynote presentations, including a notable keynote titled "What it Takes to Build Technology at Kroger," illustrating his role in guiding the company’s technology vision and innovation culture. This underscores his standing as a thought leader within Kroger’s technology function.
Professional Background
Prior to Kroger, Sriram brought experience from leading organizations such as Walmart and eBay, which complements his current focus on retail technology innovation. His cross-industry experience informs his leadership style and approaches to engineering management in large complex enterprises.
Company Context
Kroger’s IT organization, under leaders such as Samu, has been recognized consistently as a leading workplace, being named among Foundry’s Computerworld Best Places to Work in IT for six consecutive years. This highlights Kroger’s commitment to attracting and retaining top technology talent, with Sriram playing a key role in fostering that environment.
Additional Insights
- Sriram is actively engaged in thought leadership events and technology forums related to retail digital transformation.
- Emphasis on Kroger’s ongoing cloud and digital technology investments align with broader industry trends where 95% of CEOs pursue technology-centered business strategies.
- His leadership supports Kroger’s efforts to integrate unified commerce platforms facilitating digital order standardization and customer experience enhancements.
LinkedIn Profile: [https://linkedin.com/in/sriram-samu](https://linkedin.com/in/sriramsamu)
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Current Title: VP Engineering, Customer Technology, Kroger
This profile captures Sriram Samu’s pivotal role as a senior technology leader driving Kroger’s innovation and omnichannel customer technology strategy, supported by a robust background in digital transformation within retail giants.
