Corie Barry

Best Buy's survival and prosperity — after years when analysts predicted Amazon would destroy the category — is one of the great retail turnaround stories of the 2010s, driven by the "Renew Blue" and "Building the New Blue" strategies initiated by her predecessor Hubert Joly. Barry navigated Best Buy through the pandemic demand surge (as consumers bought electronics for home offices and entertainment) and the subsequent demand normalization. She is now positioning Best Buy for the next consumer technology upgrade cycle driven by AI PCs, next-generation smartphones, and smart home devices. Best Buy's Total Tech membership program and Geek Squad services provide recurring revenue and customer loyalty. Her key decisions involve the AI PC cycle merchandising strategy, store format optimization, membership program growth, services revenue expansion, and competitive positioning against Amazon, Walmart, and direct-to-consumer brands.