Table of Contents
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart, which is striving to give its sales in the United States a boost, has made a number of executive changes in its merchandising division.
Walmart, which is striving to give its sales in the United States a boost, has made a number of executive changes in its merchandising division.
The moves include the promotion of Scott Huff to executive vice president in charge of U.S. merchandising operations. In addition, Michelle Gloeckler has been named executive vice president of consumables and U.S. manufacturing, and John Aden has been named executive vice president of sales innovation for the U.S.
In all, 13 merchandising executives were included in the shuffle, seven of them women, with changes in responsibility affecting such areas as consumables, sales innovation, baby products and adult beverages.
The changes are the latest in a series of recent high-level personnel changes at Walmart.
On August 1, for example, former Delhaize Group executive Dirk Van den Berghe will officially become chief executive officer of Walmart Canada.
Van den Berghe comes to Walmart with 30 years of international business experience, and most recently served as CEO of Delhaize’s operations in Luxembourg and Belgium.
He succeeds Shelley Broader, who in May was promoted to executive vice president and president and CEO of Walmart EMEA, giving her oversight for the retailer’s operations in Europe, the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa.
Van den Berghe will report to Broader.
"We’re very pleased Dirk will be leading Walmart Canada as we celebrate 20 amazing years of saving Canadians money so they can live better," Broader said in a statement. "Under Dirk’s leadership, Delhaize has been successful in several countries, and his vast experience will allow us to strengthen our growing food business in Canada and complements our highly successful general merchandise operation. One of Walmart’s greatest strengths is having exceptional leaders to drive our continued growth, and Dirk is a prime example of this talent."
Walmart U.S. has also appointed Mark Phillips to the post of vice president of pharmaceutical merchandising.
"Mark has a successful history as a buyer for multiple departments within Walmart U.S. and Walmart International," said Labeed Diab, who was named senior vice president and president of Walmart’s health and wellness business in April.
"We will take the opportunity to utilize Mark’s experience and talents to grow our pharmaceutical business and help our customers save money and live better," Diab added.
Phillips, who as head of the company’s pharmacy merchandising team reports directly to Diab, joined Walmart in 1990 as an hourly associate with the accounts payable team at Sam’s Club. He most recently served as senior director of merchandising for small formats and helped turn that area into a key growth vehicle for the company.
Walmart’s recent merchandising executive changes, meanwhile, were announced in an internal memo sent by chief merchandising officer Duncan Mac Naughton, who said the goal of the changes is to speed growth and boost efficiency.
Huff, who most recently oversaw consumables for Walmart U.S., joined the retailer as an intern in 1994. In his new role as executive vice president of merchandising operations for Walmart U.S., he is responsible for merchandising execution, replenishment, store layout, supplier diversity, planning, pricing, modular development and joint business planning.
Gloeckler is responsible for driving merchandising strategies in such areas as beauty, pets, household paper and chemicals, baby, and personal care, as well as for a team responsible for Walmart’s investment of $250 billion in products that support American jobs. Gloeckler previously served as senior vice president of the home division.
Aden, now responsible for identifying new and disruptive product offerings for driving growth, was previously executive vice president of merchandise services at Walmart U.S.
