People Moves: Kelly Bengston, COO at BDA

Bensussen Deutsch & Associates (BDA), the US’ premier Merchandise Agency for iconic brands including Major League Baseball, Johnson & Johnson, The Home Depot and NBC, has announced the appointment of Kelly Bengston as Chief Operating Officer (COO). 

Kelly boasts more than 25 years’ experience in the procurement and merchandising space, and brings deep expertise in cross-functional enterprise collaboration at scale.

A 'world-class operator'

Kelly joins BDA from CKE Restaurants, the parent organisation for Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, where she served as Chief Supply Chain Officer. 

Prior to that she spent 14 years at Starbucks in various supply chain and procurement roles, including Senior Vice President of Supply Chain Operations and Chief Procurement Officer.

"BDA is a magnet for industry-leading talent and Kelly Bengston's arrival as our new COO is the latest example of that momentum," said Jay Deutsch, Co-Founder and CEO of BDA.  

"She's a world-class operator and the fact that an executive of her calibre is choosing BDA speaks volumes about our trajectory. We've got something special happening here and Kelly is exactly the kind of superstar leader we need to help us capitalise on the massive opportunities ahead."

Supercharging operations

In her role as COO, Kelly will lead BDA's global operations and supply chain functions including merchandising, inventory management, purchasing, imports, logistics, warehousing and distribution and supplier relationships.

She will join BDA's Executive Leadership Team and be integral to driving company culture through a client-first mindset.

"BDA is the gold standard for innovation in the branded merchandise industry," said Kelly. "I've been highly impressed with how BDA helps its clients navigate a dynamic global supply chain. 

“It's a pivotal time for the company and I look forward to helping BDA supercharge its operations and drive even more wins for its clients.”