Walmart likely to tap insiders for expected leadership changes

The leadership shift after Walmart CEO Doug McMillon steps down could leave open CEO positions at Sam’s Club and the retailer’s large international division. Company watchers say Walmart has plenty of talent to tap to backfill the key jobs.

McMillon is leaving the top job Jan. 31, with Walmart U.S. CEO John Furner named as his successor. Kath McLay, president and CEO of Walmart International, and Chris Nicholas, president and CEO of Sam’s Club, are considered top contenders to succeed Furner.

Scott Benedict, a retail consultant and former Walmart executive, said there is a wealth of talent from within Walmart to lead Sam’s Clubs and Walmart International.

The list of candidates include Kieran Shanahan, the chief operating officer for Walmart U.S. who also was a regional CEO within Walmart’s International business. He has logged 27 years at Walmart, working within operations and merchandising at Walmart and Sam’s Club.

He also had leadership jobs in technology, supply chain, marketplace and real estate for Walmart International. Shanahan also helped Walmart start and grow its online grocery business. Shanahan began his retail career with Asda in the United Kingdom when he was 16. Shanahan became a U.S. citizen in 2024.

Another candidate is Tom Ward, who ascended through ranks since joining Walmart U.S. in 2013 from Asda, where he also logged six years in operational roles. Ward had worked internationally and domestically in Walmart operations, grocery operations, training academy, digital operations and expanding online grocery, delivery and final mile delivery.

Ward also spent time overseeing the drone operations and in-home delivery segments. He was chief e-commerce officer for Walmart U.S. for three years and was on the Walmex board of directors for four years. For the past year, Ward has been at Sam’s Club as the chief operating officer, helping to merge Sam’s supply chain into the larger Walmart system.

Latriece Watkins is also on the list. She joined Walmart in 2006 in the company’s real estate division. She was promoted to merchandising at Sam’s Club in 2008. By 2010, she was the senior category buyer at Walmart, making officer rank by 2012.

Watkins, a law school graduate from the University of Arkansas, has experience in merchandising and store operations at the senior vice president level. Watkins was promoted to executive vice president in 2020 and has been the chief merchandising officer at Walmart U.S. since May 2023.

Eric Howerton, principal at AdFury, said McMillon and Furner had their first CEO roles at Sam’s Club, and he thinks that will be the key role to fill. If Ward or Shanahan is promoted to take over Sam’s Club, then all three of the CEO’s reporting to Furner will hail from either the United Kingdom or Australia.

Andy Wilson, a retired Walmart officer and former head of the retailer’s human resource division, said the person selected to lead Sam’s Club will have a wealth of leadership experience in Bentonville to help them adjust. He said McMillon, Furner and the Walmart board have a hard decision to make because there are several eligible candidates.

The retail watchers expect there will be several leadership announcements in early January. Benedict said the newly named leaders likely will be in place ahead of the year-beginning meetings, which are held in late January.