Doug McMillon to Retire as Walmart CEO in January 2026, John Furner to Succeed
Doug McMillon will retire as Walmart CEO in January 2026 after more than a decade at the helm. He will be succeeded by John Furner, a Walmart lifer who is 51 years old and has risen from the shop floor to head of Walmart US.
McMillon will remain as an adviser to Furner and stay on Walmart's board through June 2026 to help with the leadership transition. Walmart officials credit McMillon's tenure, which began in 2014, with leaving the company stronger by investing in associates, digital and ecommerce capabilities, and modernizing the supply chain, all contributing to robust financial performance.
Under McMillon's leadership, Walmart expanded its online operations and scaled back riskier international units. Despite facing challenges such as tariffs and signs of slower consumer spending, the firm continued to post solid growth.
Furner is described as uniquely capable of leading Walmart through its AI-driven transformation. Before the announcement, shares were up about 14% for the year but fell about 2% in early trading following the news.
