Walmart CEO Doug McMillon is stepping down after more than a decade helming country’s largest retailer

After nearly 12 years at the helm of the country’s biggest retailer, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon is retiring in early 2026, and current Walmart US head John Furner will take over the position, effective February 1.

McMillon’s tenure spans a tumultuous period, when a global pandemic, supply chain disruptions, elevated inflation, and now trade restrictions have tested the resilience of the retail behemoth.

However, during those years, Walmart was rarely static. While many retailers struggled to survive, let alone grow, McMillon spearheaded the transformation of the company’s e-commerce and supply chain operations, making it a viable competitor to the likes of Amazon.

More recently, McMillon presided over the company’s public embrace of new technologies such as supply chain automation and artificial intelligence, including a partnership with OpenAI aimed at integrating its online shopping experience with AI agents such as ChatGPT, and a new suite of tools designed to bring the benefits of AI to the in-store experience.

He also expressed confidence in the face of tariff policies, and committed to keeping prices low despite cost pressures.

Like McMillon, who started working at Walmart while in high school, Furner has risen through the ranks since joining the company in 1993 as an hourly associate. He served as a chief merchandising officer at Walmart China from 2013 to 2015, and as the president and CEO of Sam’s Club from 2017 to 2019.

Taking over as Walmart US CEO in 2019, he now leads one of the largest portions of the sprawling global business, including more than 4,600 stores and net sales of $462.4 billion in 2025.

“John understands every dimension of our business—from the sales floor to global strategy,” Greg Penner, chair of Walmart Inc., said in a statement. “He has proven that he can deliver results while living our values.”