US retail chain Target has hired Amy Tu as its next chief legal and compliance officer, replacing Don Liu who is retiring from the position and moving to a strategic advisory role.

Tu joins from US food processing giant Tyson Foods, where most recently she was group president for international markets, having previously been CLO. At Target she will lead the company’s legal, compliance and corporate governance functions. Tu will also join its leadership team and report directly to CEO and chair Brian Cornell when she takes up her new role on 25 August.

Minneapolis-based Target is a nationwide retail chain that sells discounted products including groceries, clothing and electronics. It operates close to 2,000 stores across the US.

Cornell said: “Amy’s experience, both in legal and business leadership, offers strong continuity at the top of our legal affairs and compliance teams. Her stewardship will help our strong and tenured leaders in legal affairs sustain their role in serving our stakeholders and growing our business.”

He added: “Amy’s growth mindset, her passion for the law and her skill as a business counsellor make her a great addition as our leadership team drives Target’s roadmap for growth and enterprise priorities.”

Tu spent almost seven years at Tyson Foods, having initially joined as general counsel from Boeing, where she was chief counsel for anti-corruption and global law affairs, among other legal roles, including regional counsel for Europe, Russia and Israel global law affairs. In total she spent more than 16 and a half years at the aerospace giant, joining from Gap, where she was international counsel. She started her legal career in-house at Walmart in 1996.

She said: “For years, I have admired the strength of Target’s brand and the vibrancy of its team culture, and I am honoured to have the opportunity to lead these best-in-class legal affairs and compliance teams.”

Liu, meantime, announced his plans for retirement back in January after more than eight years with the company, having originally joined from Xerox where he was GC. He will remain on at Target as an advisor until May next year.

Cornell said: “Over the course of his distinguished career, Don has made an incredible impact on Target and the legal industry. As a member of our leadership team, he was an advocate for our company strategy, served as a mentor to teammates and peers and is regarded as a trailblazer for diversity, equity and inclusion within the legal profession. We’re grateful for his many contributions and wish him nothing but the best.”

In other US retail moves, back in February Walgreens Boots Alliance hired Lanesha Minnix as its new CLO, replacing former White House lawyer Danielle Gray, who is now a strategic advisor at UnitedHealth Group.