Wal-Mart Stores has reorganised its US marketing and merchandising areas, with John Fleming becoming the company’s chief merchandising officer after leading the company’s marketing division for almost two years.

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As a result, Stephen Quinn has been promoted to executive vice president and chief marketing officer, replacing Fleming.


The company said that before heading up the Wal-Mart Stores US marketing operation, that Fleming had grown Walmart.com into one of the country’s top three destinations for online shopping. He had previously spent 19 years with the department stores division of Target and held a variety of positions, including senior vice president of merchandising for the fashion divisions.


Quinn joined the company in 2005 as senior vice president of marketing, after spending 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.


In other merchandise changes, Doug Degn, executive vice president of food, consumables and hardlines, has retired. He will stay on for several months to help in the transition of the new merchandise organisation.

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


Eduardo Castro-Wright, president and CEO of Wal-Mart Stores US, said: “As we enter year two, our focus will extend to merchandise assortment and marketing execution on the findings we identified in our customer research. I have a lot of confidence in the talent now charged with moving the company to the next level.”