Walmart Appoints New Head Of Ecommerce

Walmart is appointing Tom Ward as its new head of eCommerce in place of Casey Carl, who is leaving his job next month.

Carl’s decision to leave his position at Walmart comes less than two years after being appointed as the company’s chief eCommerce officer. Moreover, his departure comes at a time when the big-box retailer is seeking to cement the gains it has made over the course of the pandemic.

Ward is currently serving as the senior vice president of last-mile delivery at Walmart. He is credited with helping Walmart grow its online grocery delivery business by turning the company’s stores into hubs. Under Ward’s leadership, Walmart has tapped several technology providers to equip its stores with robotic systems, which help prepare orders for both curbside pickup and delivery. Additionally, Ward has also led the company’s drone and autonomous vehicle delivery programs.

Walmart’s stock was down less than 1%, trading at $143.41 Thursday morning. The company’s stock value has been lagging other retailers such as Target, which has seen its share value improve by 21% during the same time frame.

This morning, equity research analysts downgraded the company’s stock as its business is being affected by rising inflation, which is driving up grocery prices, and a lack of stimulus support from the federal government. The company is also continuing to face pressure to offer higher wages as it seeks to attract and retain its workforce.

Originally published at https://retailbum.com on January 20, 2022.