Walmart taps Jeanine Jiganti as general counsel over health, wellness

Walmart has hired Jeanine Jiganti in a new position as general counsel overseeing the retail giant’s health and wellness business, effective June 3. Jiganti comes to Walmart from DaVita, a Fortune 200 healthcare provider where she oversaw more than 2.500 dialysis centers and pharmacies in addition to clinical research.

Jiganti will report to Karen Roberts, general counsel at Walmart.

“With more than 4,500 pharmacies across the country Walmart is making a difference in providing affordable, accessible healthcare to our customers,” Roberts said in a statement. “We are looking to improve our health and wellness services and Jeanine’s knowledge and background in the healthcare industry will be invaluable in this newly created role.”

Jiganti has experience as a compliance officer at DaVita and prior to that, she held a similar title at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. She also served as head of litigation for Caremark International.

“It’s exciting to join a company that is focused on helping people live better by providing affordable and accessible health and wellness services to millions of customers every week,” Jiganti said. “Whether it’s access to affordable medicine through its pharmacies, millions of free health screenings provided each year or low-cost immunizations given to its U.S. customers annually, Walmart plays an important role in the health of customers across the country.”

Roberts said Jiganti also been committed to diversity and inclusion as well as fostering future women leaders while serving on the advisory board for the U.S. chapter of 30% Club, an organization that strives for gender balance on boards and in all levels of business. She also serves as a mentor for Chicago Innovation’s Women Mentoring Co-op/

Jiganti earned her Juris Doctor from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Colorado.

Walmart also recently announced the hiring of Kerri L. Ruttenberg to join the company’s legal department as senior vice president of litigation, effective July 1.