Skip to content

Walmart Canada appoints new CEO

TORONTO — Walmart Canada is changing its management team as the big retailer moves its Canadian chief executive to a new international role.

TORONTO — Walmart Canada is changing its management team as the big retailer moves its Canadian chief executive to a new international role.

The world’s largest company said Wednesday that CEO David Cheesewright would become head of Walmart’s retail operations across Canada, the United Kingdom and Sub-Saharan Africa.

In his place, Shelley Broader will assume the role of CEO of the Canadian division immediately, the company said.

Broader has been with Walmart since last December as chief merchandising officer, and before that was president and chief operating officer of arts and crafts supplier Michael’s in North America.

Meanwhile, Cheesewright’s new position will also have him navigating Walmart International’s business developments in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Canada.

“(These regions) hold tremendous potential for our company, and we are excited to have David Cheesewright leading the team,” said Walmart International president and CEO Doug McMillon.

“We are equally excited to have a leader of Shelley Broader’s calibre to lead Walmart Canada and our continued growth in the Canadian market.”

The shuffle comes as Walmart repositions its operations with an eye for growth outside the United States where it is facing tightened spending due to the economic downturn.

In Canada, the Mississauga, Ont.-based company has 329 stores and has been rolling out more supercentres. Most recently, it expanded in Quebec, as it prepares for the entry of discount competitor Target in 2013.

Walmart has also found ways to benefit from Target’s entry into Canada by signing a deal to take over leases at up to 39 stores currently operated by Zellers Inc., the discount retailer Target is acquiring in its expansion into Canada.

The Canadian division of Arkansas-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE:WMT) is Canada’s biggest retailer by revenue and the country’s third-largest employer, with 85,000 workers.