The Home Depot has appointed Franziska Bell, PhD, as Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. In this role, she will lead the company’s technology strategy, accelerating the use of agentic AI and machine learning to create a more seamless, interconnected, and data-driven experience across the business. Bell will oversee the strategy, development, and alignment of technology, product management, data, and artificial intelligence for the company.
Bell most recently served as Chief Data, AI and Analytics Officer at Ford Motor Company, where she led AI transformation. Before Ford, she was Senior Vice President of Digital Technology at BP and also held executive roles at Uber and Toyota. Her background spans enterprise technology, digital transformation, data science, and AI leadership across automotive, energy, and consumer-facing platforms.
Why this matters: Appointing a technology leader with deep AI and digital transformation experience signals that The Home Depot is treating technology as a core growth and customer experience lever. Bringing in an executive from Ford with prior leadership experience at BP, Uber, and Toyota suggests a stronger push to embed AI, product thinking, and data-driven execution more deeply into how the company serves both DIY and Pro customers.
