Doug McMillon

Carl Douglas McMillon (born October 17, 1966) is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Walmart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT). McMillon was promoted to succeed Mike Duke, 63, as President and Chief Executive Officer of Walmart on November 25, 2013 and assumed the role on February 1, 2014. McMillon also sits on the company’s board of directors.

Walmart operates more than 11,000 retail units under 69 banners in 27 countries and e-commerce websites in 10 countries. The company employs 2.2 million associates around the world — 1.3 million in the U.S. alone.^[2]

Early life

McMillon was born and grew up in Jonesboro, Arkansas,^[3] the son of Morris and Laura McMillon.^[4] His father was a dentist who served in the Vietnam War.^[5]

He received a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Arkansas in 1989 and an MBA from the University of Tulsa in 1991.^[6][7]

Career

In 1984, McMillon began his career with Walmart as a summer associate in a distribution center.^[8] In 1990, while pursuing his MBA, he rejoined the company in a Tulsa, Oklahoma Walmart store.^[9] Much of McMillon’s 22-year career has been in merchandising in the Walmart U.S. division, with experience in food, apparel and general merchandise.^[8] He has also held various merchandising positions at Sam's Club and Walmart International in addition to holding leadership roles in all three operating segments of the company.^[9]

• 1984 - Summer associate at a Walmart Distribution Center^[7]
• 1990 - Began full-time career working at a Walmart in Tulsa, Oklahoma^[7]
• 2006-2009 - President and CEO of Sam's Club^[7]
• 2010-2013 - President and CEO of Walmart International (succeeding Mike Duke)^[7][10]
• 2013 - CEO of Walmart

Sam’s Club

From 2006 to 2009, McMillon served as President and CEO of Sam’s Club, an operating segment of Walmart, with sales of more than $46 billion annually during his tenure.^[11] Prior to heading Sam’s Club, McMillon held the role of Executive Vice President of merchandising and replenishment and helped drive the renewed focus on small business owners.

Walmart International

From February 2009 to January 2014, McMillon was the President and CEO of Walmart International, with more than 6,300 stores and more than 823,000 associates in 26 countries outside the US.^[11] During McMillon’s tenure, Walmart International grew revenues by more than $50 billion and added nearly 3,000 stores.^[12] McMillon oversaw acquisitions in markets such as China, the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, Central America and a majority stake in the sub-Saharan Africa retailer Massmart Holdings Ltd., which brought the company to Africa.^[13]

McMillon also worked to globalize Walmart’s EDLP (Every Day Low Prices) strategy and began to implement the strategy in some of Walmart’s International markets.^[14]

Memberships and associations

McMillon serves on the board of directors of the U.S. China Business Council, the executive committee and board of directors for Enactus (formerly known as SIFE), the board of directors for Walmart Mexico, and has been recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

McMillon spoke at the Brookings Institute in November 2011 on the role of private companies in developing market-based solutions for addressing global challenges.^[15] McMillon has talked about the impact and opportunities surrounding the global middle class in China, the importance of the changing role of women around the world and the company’s new focus on ecommerce, mobile and social commerce.

McMillon participated in the 2012 Aspen Ideas Festival CEO Series where he addressed how the private sector can partner with NGOs and government to address the challenges society is facing.^[16] He concluded by saying, “We are not perfect, but we are a force for good, and things are better because we are here.”^[17]

McMillon was reported to have been a friend of the Walton family where in addition to his work for Walmart, he was on the Dean’s Advisory Board for the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, as well as the board of directors of family-sponsored Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.^[18]

Personal life

McMillon and his wife Shelley live in Bentonville, Arkansas and have two sons.^[3]

References