People: Who went where in retail - November

One of the benefits of owning a multinational retail empire is the ability to tap into the skills of employees from a vast global network of subsidiaries. Nowhere is this better demonstrated than at Walmart where the movement of employees between parent company and national businesses has always been fluid.

Asda is a classic case in point. In recent years marketing chiefs Rick Bendel and Stephen Smith have held senior roles in both businesses whilst in January Judith McKenna - the COO tipped by many as a future chief executive of Asda - was appointed Walmart’s executive vice president for strategy and international development.

The latest addition to the list is Richard Mayfield who will leave his post as Asda CFO in February to become chief financial officer EMEA region for Walmart. Mayfield has been credited by Asda boss Andy Clarke with developing a strategy which will help Asda “redefine the meaning of value retailing over the next five years” so he should be well at home at the retailer for which Everyday Low Price is in its DNA. Mayfield has been replaced at Asda by Alex Russo, himself a former CFO of Tesco’s South Korean business.

It’s not hard to see the appeal for both employees and employers of transferring between international businesses. The employee gets to gain experience in a territory where the characteristics of the retail market may be vastly different to their home market whilst employers such as Walmart can cherry pick the brightest talent who bring fresh ideas and perspectives to their business. The UK grocery market, in particular, is renowned as being one of the most sophisticated in the world so little wonder Walmart is so keen to recruit from within Asda.

On the subject of Walmart the retailer has just announced that Doug McMillon, a Walmart veteran who previously headed up its international business, is to become its new president and CEO. In February McMillon will take charge of a retail behemoth with annual sales of just shy of $500bn. Jobs in retail don’t come any bigger.

See the table on the right for the rest of the month’s major job moves.

Tony Gregg is chief executive of the Anthony Gregg Partnership