BENTONVILLE, Ark., Jan. 17, 2026, 12:10 a.m. CST
- Walmart shuffled its senior leadership as John Furner prepares to take over as CEO on Feb. 1
- David Guggina will take charge of Walmart U.S., Chris Nicholas will oversee Walmart International, and Latriece Watkins is set to lead Sam’s Club
- SEC filing reveals Furner’s updated compensation linked to his CEO position
Walmart plans a major leadership shuffle starting Feb. 1, with John Furner stepping in as CEO. David Guggina, currently heading e-commerce, will take over Walmart U.S., while Chris Nicholas, who runs Sam’s Club, moves to lead Walmart International. Latriece Watkins is set to become Sam’s Club CEO. Meanwhile, Seth Dallaire, the U.S. chief growth officer, will broaden his responsibilities to become Walmart Inc.’s chief growth officer, the company said on Friday. Walmart’s U.S. segment accounts for about two-thirds of its annual revenue. Shares were unchanged in Friday morning trading, Reuters reported. 1
The shakeup comes just weeks ahead of the CEO transition, reshuffling leadership as Walmart pushes further into growth initiatives beyond its core store sales.
It signals the Furner era’s approach: keep the major operating units close to shoppers and members, while consolidating the tech and services infrastructure to accelerate scaling.
Walmart announced its board has appointed new leaders to its executive council, with Dallaire taking charge of “enterprise platforms.” This group covers Walmart Connect, the company’s digital advertising arm, as well as Walmart+, the subscription service. His responsibilities also span Walmart Data Ventures, TV maker Vizio, Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) — the advertising division of the club chain — and a global marketplace where third-party sellers offer products. “Even the best teams need the right structure to win,” said Furner. 2
Walmart announced that Kathryn McLay, head of Walmart International, will leave at the end of January but remain through the first quarter to assist with the handover. Outgoing CEO Doug McMillon praised her, saying, “I’m grateful for the positive impact Kath has had.” McLay added, “It’s been a privilege to work at Walmart.” 3
A regulatory filing revealed Furner’s compensation for fiscal 2027 will include a $1.5 million base salary, a one-time stock award valued at around $10 million, and an annual equity award worth about $17 million. The one-time grant consists of performance-based restricted stock units—stock pay that vests over time if certain targets are hit. 4
McLay was considered a possible frontrunner for the CEO role before Walmart announced Furner as the new chief in November, Fortune reported. Her departure fits into a wider shake-up linked to the leadership change. 5
The revamped lineup shifts focus onto Walmart’s push into higher-margin services like advertising, data products, and third-party selling — fields where Amazon leads and Target has developed its own retail media operation. At Sam’s Club, Watkins faces off directly with Costco, which relies on membership fees to soften the blow when shoppers tighten their belts.
Reorganizations often bog down decision-making and pull focus from operators, particularly when paired with a CEO transition. At a firm that serves as a daily barometer for household budgets, any slip in pricing discipline, delivery, or member growth wouldn’t stay under the radar for long.
