Trailblazers: Black Leadership in Retail

Retail has entered a new age, one in which physical and digital cannot be treated as separate entities. If your store experience doesn’t match what happens on your website, customers will take notice and flock to competitors who offer a more seamless experience. The search for that perfect omnichannel immersion has led to a highly competitive job market with companies desperately searching for someone who can balance physical and digital. Best Buy is in a unique position as an electronics store with a longstanding physical presence that needs a digital storefront that backs up their technological expertise. The mastermind behind Best Buy’s omnichannel experience is Damien Harmon, Senior Executive VP of customer and channel experiences.

Damien Harmon’s executive rise through Best Buy’s ranks started back in 2005 when he was hired as a store general manager. Harmon parlayed his store experience into a director position and eventually became VP of Operations in 2013. During his time in the role, Harmon was responsible for international expansion into China and Turkey. In 2014 he left Best Buy for a VP of Operations role at Bridgestone. By the end of 2016 Harmon had become the company’s COO and Interim President. In 2019 Harmon retuned to Best Buy in the role of President of Operations before ascending to his current position.

Harmon is responsible for every facet of the customer experience both online and in-store. He is also responsible for managing Best Buy’s customer support and call centers along with in-home installation services. He also manages all memberships and launched the company’s My Best Buy membership that debuted last year. Harmon is also the leader of Geek Squad, the company’s tech-support organization that helps customers with repairs and questions about their new technology. Geek Squad has given Best Buy an edge over their competition under Harmon’s leadership. As part of transforming the customer experience, Best Buy has recently removed their physical movie selection, an area that used to take up the most floorspace in stores. The change allows the company the better match their online storefronts where phones and computers are the main attraction. At the end of last year, Harmon added to his leadership positions by being named to Driven Brands’ Board of Directors. In his two tenures at Best Buy, Damien Harmon has led international expansion and merged the company’s physical and digital storefronts while leading a customer service overhaul.