Kathryn McLay, the head of Walmart International, will resign after two years
Walmart announced on Thursday that Kathryn McLay will leave her position as CEO of its Walmart International division on January 31. However, she will stay with the firm through the first quarter in order to facilitate a seamless transition.
For two and a half years, she had served as the international company’s CEO.
Two months after the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer revealed that its 12-year CEO, Doug McMillon, would be leaving and being replaced by U.S. division chief John Furner, McLay is leaving.
Walmart did not identify McLay’s replacement. The announcement stated that a replacement would be announced soon.
In 2015, McLay, an Australian, started working at Walmart. In August 2023, she was elevated to CEO of Walmart International, a company worth over $100 billion, after serving as CEO of Sam’s Club, its warehouse club brand, throughout the pandemic. Throughout her tenure, Sam’s Club achieved double-digit revenue growth for 12 consecutive quarters.
According to someone with knowledge of the transfer, McLay left the company without any issues. It wasn’t immediately apparent if her exit would signal a shift in Walmart’s foreign policy.
China and India, two rapidly expanding marketplaces, are among the eighteen nations where Walmart International operates. Walmart International reported net sales of $33.5 billion in its most recent quarter, a 10.8% increase over the same period last year.
McLay wrote in the statement, “Walmart gave me the ability to make a real difference in the world, and I am truly grateful.”
