Walmart announced several leadership changes to its core operating units. Judith McKenna, president and CEO of Walmart International, announced her retirement. She will be succeeded by Kath McLay.
Chris Nicholas becomes president and CEO of Sam’s Club U.S., and Kieran Shanahan, EVP and chief operating officer of Walmart U.S.
McKenna resigns as president and CEO of Walmart International after 27 years with the company. Past roles include COO and chief development officer of the Walmart U.S. business. She has led the retailer’s international business for the past seven years. Doug McMillon, president and CEO of Walmart, Inc., said, “She and the team have re-architected the segment and led a multi-year transformation that resulted in International delivering more growth and stronger financial results across the board.”
McKenna will remain with the company until January 31, 2024, to help ensure a smooth transition and to continue serving on its Walmex, Flipkart and PhonePe Boards.
McLay, who will succeed McKenna, joined Walmart in 2015. After roles in strategy and supply chain, she led the retailer’s Neighborhood Market business before becoming the president and CEO of Sam’s Club U.S., where she and her team delivered 12 straight quarters of double-digit sales growth. McMillon said, “She prioritized a member-centric culture, the improvement of our merchandise quality and an expansion of our omnichannel capabilities. Kathmoved to the U.S. from Australia to join Walmart after spending the early part of her career with Woolworths and Qantas. She’ll do a phenomenal job leading our International business.”
Chris Nicholas, Walmart U.S. COO, takes over as the president and CEO of Sam’s Club U.S. As Walmart U.S. COO, Nicholas led store and supply chain teams and helped develop a more intelligent and automated end-to-end supply chain strategy. He was previously the CFO of the Walmart U.S. and Walmart International businesses. McMillon said, “Chris has a passion for the development of our associates and for serving our customers. He’ll bring this passion to Sam’s Club, and I know he will do an exceptional job. I look forward to working with Kath and Chris in their new roles and am confident they will continue strengthening these businesses while leading with purpose and values.”
Kieran Shanahan, who most recently was executive vice president, International Operations and regional CEO for Walmart International, replaces Nicholas as EVP and COO of Walmart U.S. In his most recent role, Shanahan led performance and strategy for Massmart and Chile and was the retailer’s operating partner for Canada. He also oversaw the technology, operations, marketplace, real estate, and supply chain teams for International. Before that, Shanahan was Sam’s Club’s EVP and chief growth officer, responsible for membership, marketing, data monetization, developing future revenue streams, and driving convenience as the differentiator for members.
Photo courtesy Walmart
