Maeve joined Lidl in 2005 as a Trainee District Manager. She progressed quickly and took over as Personnel Manager in 2006, with responsibility for payroll & personnel administration. From 2008, Lidl began to develop a holistic HR function after having been very focused on the administration side. With the establishment of programmes like the Graduate Programme and Feed Your Mind Retail Training Programme, Lidl has quickly established the business as leaders in training and development of its team members.
In 2013 Maeve moved to Lidl’s international headquarters in Germany – initially responsible for employer brand and engagement. She gained valuable experience working with HR colleagues across 30 countries developing and implementing Lidl’s global HR strategy.
Maeve returned to Ireland in 2016 to take up the reigns as first Chief People Officer where she has headed up several industry-leading initiatives in the retail sector. These include the development of employee benefits packages and development programmes which are designed with employee’s life cycle in mind including compassionate leave for miscarriage and early pregnancy loss, menopause supports, support for employees undergoing fertility treatment, the removal of mandatory retirement and becoming the first retailer to commit to paying the Living Wage in 2015.