John Furner has been named President and CEO of Walmart U.S., succeeding Greg Foran, who is leaving the company to become CEO of the airline, Air New Zealand Limited. Furner, who began his career at Walmart as an hourly associate in 1993, has for the past five years been working in the business segment under Foran, and is also the CEO of Sam’s Club. Furner will report directly to Walmart President and CEO Doug McMillon, and the move will be effective Nov. 1. Foran will stay on with Walmart through Jan. 31 to ensure a smooth transition, the company said. The company said it will announce Furner’s successor as President and CEO of Sam’s Club at a later date.
“John has done a fantastic job at Sam’s Club, and he will continue the momentum we have in Walmart U.S.,” said McMillon. “John knows our business well, having held many different jobs in the company over more than 25 years, and he is helping transform it for the future. He has the experience and judgment to know what we should continue doing and what we should change. He embraces technology and new ways of working, and he keeps our customers and Sam’s Club members at the center of everything we do, while delivering results for the business. I look forward to seeing his impact for our customers and associates in Walmart U.S.”
Furner, 45, worked part-time in the garden center of a Walmart supercenter when he joined the company 26 years ago. He worked his way up through a number of frontline leadership roles, later becoming a Store Manager, District Manager and Buyer. He has held leadership roles in operations, merchandising and sourcing in Walmart U.S., Sam’s Club and Walmart International, where he served at Walmart China as Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer. Prior to becoming Sam’s Club CEO in 2017, he was Chief Merchandising Officer for Sam’s Club.
Walmart said Furner will partner with Walmart U.S. eCommerce CEO Marc Lore, who also reports to McMillon, to deliver a seamless omnichannel experience for Walmart’s U.S. customers. “I’m grateful for this opportunity and ready to get started,” said Furner. “There’s no better place than Walmart U.S. to touch the lives of millions of customers and associates. Together with the team, we will build on the progress under Greg’s leadership and continue to make Walmart an even better place to work and shop. I also want to thank the Sam’s Club team. My years with you have been amazing.”
