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MISSISAUGA, Ontario — Venessa Yates was named president and chief executive officer of Walmart Canada in February. Yates most recently served as senior vice president and general manager of Walmart +, the retailer’s membership program.
Yates joined Walmart in 2016 as senior director of business development. In 2019 she was promoted to vice president of merchandising for snacks, followed three years later by her appointment as vice president of merchandising strategy. In 2023 she was promoted again, taking the role of senior VP and general manager of Walmart +.
Like Walmart International CEO Kath McLay, Yates served at Australia’s Woolworths Group before joining Walmart, rising through the merchandising ranks from buyer to senior own brand manager. Before joining Woolies, Yates worked at Aldi Stores Australia for four years, first as an area manager followed by two years as a buying director.
“Venessa is a tremendous retail leader with experience in multiple countries and functions,” said Guilherme Loureiro, regional CEO of Walmart Canada, Chile, Mexico and Central America. “She is the right person to continue to drive Walmart Canada’s growth trajectory.”
Yates is joining Walmart Canada just as the company is preparing to supercharge its growth with a landmark $6.5 billion investment to open dozens of new stores across the country. Current plans call for five new Supercenters in Ontario and Alberta by 2027, beginning with a new unit in Mississauga this summer. A new, state-of-the-art distribution center come will come online in Vaughan this spring.
Said Yates, “We’re currently in growth mode, and I’m excited about the future.”
