Target Taps Don Liu as Chief Legal Officer

Target Corp. has hired Don Liu as its EVP, chief legal officer and general counsel.

Effective Aug. 22, Liu will oversee all legal, corporate governance and government affairs matters for the Minneapolis-based retailer. He will report to Chairman and CEO Brian Cornell.

Liu succeeds Tim Baer, who will be retiring in July 2017 after 23 years with the company. Baer joined Dayton Hudson as assistant general counsel in 1994. He will serve in an advisory role for the next 12 months, supporting Liu’s transition to Target and ensuring that the process is seamless.

“As Tim transitions to retirement, I look forward to welcoming Don to our team,” Cornell said. “His extensive legal expertise, as well as his deep business acumen, will help us continue to navigate the increasingly complex business environment with the highest standards of ethics and integrity.”

‘Incredible Opportunity’

Liu, 55, joins Target from Xerox Corp, where he has been EVP, general counsel and corporate secretary since 2007. In that role, he was responsible for all of Xerox’s legal and government affairs matters. Liu also has worked for Toll Brothers Inc.'s Ikon Office Solutions. He’s a member and former chairman of the board of directors for the Minority Corporate Counsel Association and former chair of the in-house counsel committee of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.

“I have long admired Target and the legal team behind the brand,” Liu said. “Joining the organization will provide me with an incredible opportunity to bring my passion for the law to one of the great retail companies in America. I look forward to building Target’s business and positively impacting its reputation.”

Cornell had these parting words for Baer: “Tim’s leadership has been integral to Target’s success, and we are grateful for his years of service. In all his years with the company, Tim has been a true guardian of the Target brand, bringing a sharp legal mind and rock-solid judgement to every challenge. He was a trusted voice on our leadership team, managing and mitigating issues and influencing our business during a time of intense change.”