Wal-Mart Reorganizes Merchandising, Marketing Structure
By Alan Wolf -- TWICE, 2/12/2007
BENTONVILLE, ARK. Wal-Mart has restructured its merchandising and marketing functions to better align its merchants with key product areas and customer segments.
Under the new organizational plan, former marketing chief and one-time Walmart.com head John Fleming is moving over to the product side as chief merchandising officer, with direct responsibility for the retailer's entertainment, home, apparel and grocery groups. He will also oversee two newly created units focused on "the customer experience" and planning, pricing and replenishment.
Fleming's marketing duties have been assumed by Stephen Quinn, who is being promoted to executive VP/chief marketing officer from marketing senior VP.
Also, Doug Degn, who oversaw Wal-Mart's CE business as food, consumables and hardlines executive VP, will retire within the next few months after helping the merchandising operation transition to the new structure. No CE successor was announced.
Eduardo Castro-Wright, president/CEO of Wal-Mart Stores U.S., described the reorganization as the second phase of a three-year plan to become "more relevant" to the retailer's various customer segments. Last year Wal-Mart created a field organizational structure to implement the new merchandising initiatives.
