Kieran Shanahan to exit Walmart, third top exec to leave in two months

Kieran Shanahan, second in charge of Walmart’s U.S. business as chief operating officer, is leaving the retailer. Shanahan is the third top executive to leave in the past two months, following Tom Ward and Cedric Clark. The three have 70 years of retail experience.

Once seen as a potential future CEO at Walmart, Shanahan spent his entire retail career there. The past two decades have been in management, beginning with eight years at Asda, Walmart’s former grocery chain in the U.K. He was transferred to the U.S. in 2014 under then-CEO Greg Foran’s oversight of Walmart U.S., where he helped to usher in online grocery.

He spent time managing food merchandising, then two years as chief merchandising officer. He oversaw growth at Sam’s Club for a year, then was regional CEO within Walmart International. Since August 2023, Shanahan was chief operating officer of Walmart U.S.

Shanahan was seen by analysts as a leader who understood the nuts and bolts of complex retail operations, like Ward and Clark, whose skills were complementary to Walmart U.S. CEO David Guggina’s manufacturing and supply chain background. Shanahan is stepping away from the COO role but will stay on through the end of the fiscal year (Feb. 1) in an advisory role to Guggina.

“Kieran’s 29-year career journey is a powerful example of the opportunities Walmart helps create,” Guggina noted in the internal memo sent on Friday. “Throughout his career, he was never afraid to take on new challenges, from helping build and scale online grocery pickup and delivery to leading through major transformations. Kieran stayed close to the work, always focused on our associates, customers and members. He has left a lasting mark on Walmart, and we are thankful for his years of service.”

Chris Nicholas, CEO of Walmart International, and Guggina also reported that Kyle Kinnard will step into the role of chief operating officer at Walmart U.S., effective immediately.

“When we look for leaders to guide our business, we look for people who have a deep understanding of our operations and live our values, and Kyle embodies both,” the memo stated.

Kinnard has been with Walmart more than 25 years, joining the company in 2000 as an hourly associate at Sam’s Club in Springdale. He has since held leadership roles across operations, merchandising, and healthcare in the U.S. and recently as chief operations officer for Walmart International. He’s a graduate of the University of Arkansas and holds a master’s degree in business administration from John Brown University.

Nicholas said that since joining the international business earlier this year, he has quickly become a trusted partner to the market teams, helping strengthen how Walmart operates across its international portfolio.

Previously, he was executive vice president of health & wellness for Walmart U.S., following leadership roles with Neighborhood Markets and Sam’s Club in China and Mexico.

Juan Galarraga has been promoted to executive vice president and regional general manager of Latin America, where he will oversee Walmart International businesses in Latin America, including businesses in Mexico, Central America and Chile. Nicholas said Cristian Barrientos, Cristina Ronski and Annie Walker will report to Galarraga. Beyond Latin America, he will also work as an operating partner to Walmart’s Canada and Massmart business in Africa.

Galarraga joined Walmart in January 2024 as senior vice president of acceleration and support for Walmart’s U.S. operations. He had already amassed a 25-year career in retail store operations and fulfillment by logging more than 20 years at Target and Five Below. Earlier this year, Galarraga joined Walmart International.

Nicholas said he would announce a global platform acceleration group in the coming weeks.