Judith McKenna Causes Changes in Walmart’s Leadership

After a 27-year tenure at the company, the President and CEO of Walmart International, Judith McKenna, has decided to retire.

Doug McMillon, the President and CEO of Walmart Inc., announced that Kath McLay will replace Judith McKenna. At the same time, Chris Nicholas will become the President and CEO of Sam’s Club U.S. Additionally, Kieran Shanahan will take over from Nicholas as the EVP and Chief Operating Officer of Walmart U.S.

The transition of CEOs, along with the promotions at Sam’s Club, is scheduled for September 11, 2023. McKenna will continue with the company until January 31, 2024, to facilitate a smooth transition and to remain a part of the Walmex, Flipkart, and PhonePe Boards.

McKenna has been responsible for overseeing all aspects of Walmart’s operations outside the U.S. Before heading Walmart International, she served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Walmart U.S. Prior to that, she held positions such as the Executive Vice President of Strategy and Development for Walmart International, Chief Operating Officer for Asda Stores Ltd. in the U.K., and Chief Financial Officer for Asda for over a decade.

Kath McLay joined Walmart in 2015, holding positions in strategy and supply chain before heading Walmart’s Neighborhood Market business. She subsequently became the President and CEO of Sam’s Club U.S. In 2001, she joined Australian retailer Woolworths, eventually holding leadership roles in retail and supply chain. Before that, in 1992, she worked at Deloitte.

Chris Nicholas, who will succeed McLay as the President and CEO of Sam’s Club U.S., has recently served as the Walmart U.S. COO, leading the store and supply chain team and contributing to an intelligent and automated end-to-end supply chain strategy. He had previously been the CFO of Walmart U.S. and Walmart International. Nicholas joined Walmart after holding roles in merchandising and finance across several countries with Tesco, Salling, and the Coles group in Australia.

Kieran Shanahan, set to become the EVP and Chief Operating Officer of Walmart U.S., most recently served as the Executive Vice President of International Operations and Regional CEO for Walmart International. Shanahan also supervised Technology, Operations, Marketplace, Real Estate, and Supply Chain for Walmart International. Before this, he held the position of EVP and Chief Growth Officer of Sam’s Club.

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