Walmart Canada has appointed Shelley Broader as its new president and CEO, effective immediately.
She replaces David Cheesewright who is now the retailer’s executive vice- president, president and chief executive officer of a new regional management team.
Broader joined Walmart Canada as chief merchandising officer in 2010, and prior to that held a range of key positions with Michael’s and Hannaford Bros.
In his newly created role, Cheesewright will lead the retail giant’s operations in Canada, the United Kingdom and Sub-Saharan Africa. He will also oversee business development in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Canada.
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 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. is Canada’s biggest retailer by revenue and the country’s third-largest employer, with 85,000 workers.
