Going Global with Judith McKenna, President & CEO, Walmart International

Joining us for the first of several episodes recorded at the Wizeline remote podcast studio/beach cabana at Mandalay Bay during Shoptalk is Judith McKenna, who heads up Walmart International.

We touch on Judith's journey across the pond to lead Walmart's $100 billion plus division, which operates across 19 countries, before jumping into the challenges and opportunities of executing the Walmart brand promise and purpose while staying attuned to diverse market needs ("strong local businesses powered by Walmart"). Judith shares her perspectives on the importance of strategic alignment, sustaining a culture of innovation, and the emerging role of personalization in driving growth. We close with Judith's take on how to navigate the volatile future of retail and some of her key leadership tips.

We start as usual with a review of the week in retail news, including how a revision in the jobless claims numbers suggests a cooling job market, RH's recent (mostly) disappointing earnings release, and Costco's first negative monthly comparable sales report in three years. Then we dissect encouraging news from Walmart before a quick return to the Wobbly Unicorn Corner with word of a bankruptcy filing from Boxed and Chewy's decision to close two fulfillment centers. We wrap up with Bed, Bath & Beyond's continuing financing gymnastics, which don't seem to bode well for their future.

We also give a quick shout-out to friend of the pod, Seth Godin, who releases his latest book, The Song of Significance: A New Manifesto for Teams, next month. You can learn more and find links to pre-order here.

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About Judith

Judith McKenna is president and CEO of Walmart International where she is responsible for all aspects of Walmart’s footprint outside the U.S., leading a team of 550,000 associates across 23 countries. Judith is transforming the shape of the international portfolio while expanding eCommerce and omnichannel offerings, leveraging innovations from across international markets to build strong local businesses that are powered by Walmart, and working to make lives easier by creating a global culture that puts the customer at the center of everything.

Prior to leading Walmart International, Judith was executive vice president and chief operating officer for Walmart U.S. During that time she led the rollout of online grocery to the U.S. by leveraging best practices from her time in the U.K. Before that, she served as executive vice president of strategy and development for Walmart International, chief operating officer for Asda Stores Ltd. in her native U.K, and as Asda’s chief financial officer for more than a decade.

In addition to leading the business, Judith has a lifelong passion for developing people at all levels and creating opportunities for learning. She’s the daughter of two teachers and is an advocate for associate training and education. She was also the architect behind the introduction of Walmart Academies to the U.S.

Judith is a board member of Walmex in Mexico, Flipkart and PhonePe in India, as well as the Walton Arts Center. She also appears on Fortune’s list of Most Powerful Women in Business and Forbes’ list of the World’s Most Powerful Women. Judith graduated with a law degree from University of Hull in England before earning her Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales accounting qualification at KPMG and was awarded an honorary doctorate in law from University of Hull.

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About Us

Steve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling author of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.

Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the NRF as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025 and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.