Zebra names Melissa Luff Loizides as Chief People Officer beginning January 2026
Zebra names Melissa Luff Loizides as Chief People Officer (CPO), effective January 1, 2026, as the company embarks on its next phase of growth and organizational realignment.
A Smooth Succession and Strategic Transition
The current CPO, Jeff Schmitz, will step down on December 31, 2025, and lead the integration of the Elo acquisition through mid-2026 before retiring, ensuring continuity through a transition period.
By selecting an internal successor with deep experience, Zebra Technologies demonstrates its commitment to stability, strategic workforce planning, and strong cultural continuity as it integrates Elo’s business.
Who is Melissa Luff Loizides: Background & Experience
Melissa Luff Loizides has been with Zebra since 2014, following the company’s acquisition of Motorola Solutions’ Enterprise Business. Over the years, she has served various roles within the People organization, most recently as Vice President of Global Talent.
In that capacity, she led strategic workforce planning, talent development, and efforts to reinforce Zebra’s purpose, values, and company culture globally laying the groundwork for what CEO Bill Burns described as attracting and developing “the best talent globally.”
Luff Loizides holds a Master’s degree in Management and a Bachelor’s in History from St. Joseph’s University New York. She’s also been active beyond corporate responsibilities previously serving on the board of FIRST Long Island, reflecting her commitment to community service and STEM-education outreach.
What Her Appointment Signals for Zebra
- Commitment to Talent & Culture: With her long experience at Zebra, Luff Loizides is well-positioned to maintain and evolve the company’s culture prioritizing inclusion, development, and global workforce alignment.
- Strategic Workforce Planning: As businesses navigate complexity in supply chains, automation, and global operations, having a seasoned HR leader ensures that talent strategy aligns with business growth and transformation objectives.
- Seamless Acquisition Integration: Given the upcoming integration of Elo, having a trusted internal leader helm people operations should ease transition, support employee morale, and uphold organizational stability.
- People-Centric Leadership: The appointment underscores that for Zebra, people remain at the center their development, representation, and well-being are central to long-term success.
Reactions from Leadership & Future Vision
Zebra’s CEO expressed confidence in the appointment, stating that Luff Loizides has “played a critical role in ensuring we attract, engage and develop the best talent globally.”
Luff Loizides herself said she is “honored to take on the role” and looks forward to building on a culture “where our talent thrives in creating tomorrow together.” She emphasized that employees are the company’s greatest asset, and Zebra remains committed to making everyone feel “seen, heard, valued and respected.”
Under her leadership, Zebra’s global People Team will shepherd key strategic initiatives from talent acquisition and inclusion to long-term workforce planning to support business growth and innovation.
Conclusion
With the succession of Melissa Luff Loizides to Chief People Officer, Zebra Technologies combines continuity, experience, and strategic foresight aligning its people agenda with long-term business growth, acquisition integration, and global talent ambitions. This move reinforces the company’s commitment to putting people at the heart of its operations and shaping a culture that supports both innovation and human values.
CXO Insiders is a platform for C-suite leaders, offering expert insights, industry trends, and strategic guidance. It covers leadership, technology, marketing, HR, and operations to support executive decision-making.
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