By Siddharth Cavale -In 2020, as COVID-19 raged, John Furner - then chief of Walmart's largest U.S. division - consulted colleagues in China, drawing on their pandemic playbook to swiftly adjust inventory forecasts and fulfillment operations to stay ahead of panic buying.

Furner started at Walmart in 1993, and currently oversees the most important segment of the company’s business.

Walmart said Friday it will appoint Walmart US CEO John Furner as head of the corporation when longtime CEO Doug McMillon retires in February.

Walmart (WMT) announced Friday that its CEO, Doug McMillon, will retire on Jan. 31, 2026, after a more than 10-year run leading the retail giant. Walmart's US CEO, John Furner, will succeed McMillon as the company's next CEO.