Wal-Mart Names Chief Merchant

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 1/29/2007 12:00:00 AM

Bentonville, Ark. —

Wal-Mart Stores is reorganizing its U. S. marketing and merchandising areas to align its merchants with key product areas: grocery, entertainment, apparel, and home. The four merchandising segments will report to John Fleming, who has been named the company's chief merchandising officer.

The fifth division — pharmacy and optical — will continue reporting to Bill Simon, executive vp of professional services and new business development. Simon reports to Eduardo Castro-Wright, president and ceo of Wal-Mart Stores U. S.

Fleming will also have responsibility for two newly created organizations, one focused on the customer experience and the other on planning, pricing and replenishment.

Fleming has led Wal-Mart's marketing division for almost two years. Before that, he grew Walmart.com into one of the country's top three destinations for online shopping. He previously spent 19 years with the department stores division (Dayton Hudson and Marshall Fields) of Target Corp. He held a variety of positions there, including svp of merchandising for the fashion divisions.

In other Wal-Mart merchandise changes, Doug Degn, executive vp of food, consumables and hardlines, has decided to retire after a few months of helping in the transition of the new merchandise organization.

Claire Watts, evp of merchandising, will now lead the apparel merchandising area and report to Fleming.

Stephen Quinn is being promoted to evp and chief marketing officer, replacing Fleming in that post. Quinn joined the company in 2005 as svp of marketing. Before coming to Wal-Mart he spent 13 years with the Frito-Lay division of Pepsico, most recently as chief marketing officer. Prior to that, he held consumer marketing positions at Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, and Quaker Oats. Quinn will report to Castro-Wright.

Carter Cast, president and ceo of Walmart.com, will now report to Castro-Wright.