Kath McLay

Walmart Inc. named Kath McLay chief executive of Walmart International in September, appointing the retail veteran to a post notably occupied by Walmart’s current and previous CEOs. In her new job, McLay, an Australia native, oversees a complex business that operates in 18 countries and includes stakes in companies like e-commerce site Flipkart and payments giant PhonePe in India, a market Walmart is still trying to crack. In recent years, Walmart International has slimmed down, exiting Britain and Japan. Divisional revenue shrunk some 21% between 2020 and 2022. The pressure is on McLay, 49, to return the division to growth. Her track record suggests she’s up to the task. She revitalized Walmart’s 600-store Sam’s Club division during her four years as CEO, adding touches like sushi aisles and walk-in dairy fridges. Revenue jumped 43% during McLay’s tenure, hitting $84 billion last fiscal year.