Walmart hires a new general counsel for international business 

Walmart has hired Deborah Vaughn to lead the retail giant’s international legal work as senior vice president and general counsel, international. Vaughn previously held a similar position with Kimberly-Clark for the manufacturer’s operations in the Asia Pacific region.

Walmart said Vaughn’s global experience, focus on risk mitigation and stakeholder collaboration make her a great fit for the Walmart culture and business. Karen Roberts, executive vice president and general counsel for Walmart, made the announcement in an internal memo Thursday (Aug. 27).

“I’m excited to join Walmart, especially during such an unprecedented time when our associates are playing an important role serving millions of customers and their local communities globally each week. I look forward to immersing myself in the International business and working alongside a talented legal team to support our thousands of retail units and eCommerce businesses in markets around the world,” said Vaughn, who was based in Singapore during the two and half years she was with Kimberly-Clark.

Roberts said Vaughn will move to Bentonville with her husband and start her new role on Nov. 2. Vaughn will report to Roberts. She said Vaughn has led a diverse, effective and engaged team across eight countries while at Kimberly-Clark. There she showed a strong commitment to excellence, collaboration and fostering a culture of candor.

Prior to her work at Kimberly-Clark, Vaughn spent nearly 11 years in various legal roles for Whirlpool Corp. in Italy, the United States and China. Following Whirlpool’s global expansion and a new acquisition in China, she led the development of a new legal and compliance organization and governance framework.

Before that, Vaughn worked as an attorney at several private firms, served as a journalist in New Zealand and as an English teacher in Malaysia. Vaughn earned a master’s of law degree from George Washington University Law School and a bachelor of law degree from the University of Hertfordshire in England. She also a bachelor’s degree in English from the National University in Singapore. Vaughn is also licensed to practice law in New York, Singapore, Malaysia, England and Wales.