Latriece Watkins has been named Walmart’s new U.S. chief merchandising officer, a memo seen by Reuters on Friday revealed. This comes days after Charles Redfield stepped down from the role.
Since joining the U.S. retail giant 24 years ago, Watkins has served in several senior roles across the Walmart U.S. and Sam’s Club chains. She was most recently the executive vice president of the Walmart U.S. consumables division.
Watkins’ appointment comes as little surprise, given that Walmart CEO John Furner wrote in a memo to associates that Redfield would step down from the role of chief merchandising officer. Redfield has agreed, however, to continue serving the company in an advisory role.
Speaking of the decline in consumer power due to high inflation, Furner expressed his confidence in Watkins’ ability to navigate this challenging period. “We have a rich history of strong leaders who embrace this constant change, set bold visions for our teams and best represent the humanity that is Walmart,” he wrote in the memo.