Walmart International CEO Kath McLay to step down

Walmart International chief executive Kath McLay will leave the retailer at the end of January, the company said on Thursday, marking a senior leadership exit at a time of transition for the world’s largest retailer.

McLay, 51, who took over as CEO of Walmart International in late 2023 following the retirement of Judith McKenna, will remain in her role until January 31 and stay on through the first quarter to support a smooth handover, Walmart said in a statement.

Her departure comes after a decade at Walmart, during which she held several senior roles across the US and international business. Before leading Walmart International, McLay served as chief executive of Sam’s Club from November 2019 to September 2023, overseeing a period in which the warehouse retailer delivered 12 consecutive quarters of double-digit sales growth.

Doug McMillon, president and chief executive of Walmart Inc., said McLay had made a significant contribution to the business. He said that since taking charge of Walmart International, she had driven growth, strengthened leadership capability and advanced the group’s digital and technology agenda.

McLay joined Walmart after a long career in Australia, where she spent around two decades at Woolworths Limited. She moved to the United States in 2015 and initially worked in Walmart’s US strategy and supply chain teams, before going on to lead the company’s Neighborhood Market business and later Sam’s Club.

“It’s been a privilege to work at Walmart over the past decade,” McLay said in the company’s statement, reflecting on her time at the retailer and the roles she held across its operations.

The announcement comes amid broader leadership changes at Walmart. John Furner, who currently leads Walmart US, has been named as the successor to McMillon, who is set to retire at the end of January. With Furner moving into the top role and McLay stepping down, Walmart said it will name replacements for the vacated positions in due course.

McLay, an Australian national, has been based in Bentonville, Arkansas, with her family. She was named one of Fortune magazine’s Most Powerful Women in 2024.

As Walmart reshapes its senior leadership, McLay’s exit leaves the company facing the task of appointing a new head for its international business, which spans operations across multiple markets and remains central to its long-term growth strategy.