John Furner
John Furner | |
|---|---|
| President and CEO, Walmart Inc. | |
| In office February 1, 2026 - present | |
| Preceded by | Doug McMillon |
| President and CEO, Walmart U.S. | |
| In office November 2019 - January 2026 | |
| Preceded by | Greg Foran |
| Succeeded by | David Guggina |
| CEO, Sam's Club | |
| In office February 2017 - November 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Rosalind Brewer |
| Succeeded by | Kathryn McLay |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1974 (age 51–52) |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | University of Arkansas (BS) |
John Furner is an American business executive who is the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Walmart Inc. He previously served as president and CEO of Walmart U.S. from 2019 to 2026, and as CEO of Sam's Club from 2017 to 2019. Furner succeeded Doug McMillon, who retired on January 31, 2026.[1][2][3]
Early life and education
Furner was born in 1974 in Jacksonville, Arkansas.[4] He attended the University of Arkansas, where he studied marketing management.[4] Furner graduated from the Sam M. Walton College of Business in 1996.[5][6]
Career
Furner began his career at Walmart in 1993 as an hourly store associate.[7][8][9][3] He later became a store manager, district manager, and buyer.[8][10] He became CEO of Sam's Club[9] on February 1, 2017, after serving as Sam's Club's chief merchandising officer and, prior that, spending nearly three years in Walmart's international division as EVP of merchandising and marketing for Walmart China.[11][12]
At Sam's Club, Furner closed 63 stores to better compete with Costco. The Wall Street Journal reported that sales increased during his time as CEO.[13] Based on his experience at Walmart China, Furner focused on increasing the use of technology in Sam's Club warehouses and narrowing its targeted customer.[11][14] Furner also focused on increasing Sam's Club's private brand business.[15]
Furner became president and CEO of Walmart U.S. in November 2019.[12] He will replace Doug McMillon as CEO of Walmart Inc. in February 2026.[16][17][1]
Personal life
Furner is married with four children.[5] He is board chairman of the National Retail Federation and was a board member of Medal of Honor Foundation in 2020.[18][19]
References
- ^ a b Nassauer, Connor Hart and Sarah (2026-01-16). "Walmart Reshapes Leadership Team as John Furner Prepares to Take the Helm". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2026-01-20.
- ^ "Walmart's John Furner overhauls leadership | Retail Dive". www.retaildive.com. Retrieved 2026-01-20.
- ^ a b Quiroz-Gutierrez, Marco. "Meet Walmart's new CEO, John Furner: Once an hourly worker, he'll helm the top company in the Fortune 500". Fortune. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
- ^ a b Monk, Ginny (February 11, 2018). "High Profile: Sam's Club CEO John Furner". Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
- ^ a b Speer, David (Winter 2018). "The 'Truth' About Sam's Club" (PDF). Walton Magazine. p. 19. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
- ^ "Could John Furner Be The Leader To Take Walmart Into Its Next Era?". International Business Times. 2025-11-19. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
- ^ "Walmart Names John Furner President & CEO of Walmart U.S." corporate.walmart.com. 10 October 2019. Archived from the original on 24 September 2023. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
Furner, 45, started with Walmart as an hourly associate in 1993, working part-time in the garden center of a supercenter
- ^ a b Sharma, Swastika Das (2025-11-15). "John Furner started as an hourly worker at Walmart; decades later, he will lead 2.1 million employees as CEO | Company Business News". mint. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
- ^ a b Murphy, Bill (15 November 2025). "Walmart Just Named a New CEO Who Started as an Hourly Associate 32 Years Ago. It's a Master Class in Succession Planning". Inc. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
- ^ Umoh, Ruth. "Why John Furner is the CEO Walmart thinks it needs right now". Fortune. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
- ^ a b Troy, Mike (November 16, 2018). "The digital first CEO transforming Sam's Club". Retail Leader. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
- ^ a b Redman, Russell (October 10, 2019). "John Furner to succeed Greg Foran as Walmart U.S. CEO". Supermarket News. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
- ^ Nassauer, Sarah (October 10, 2019). "Walmart's U.S. Stores Chief to Quit Retailer". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
- ^ Troy, Mike (October 16, 2017). "Featured Executive: John Furner". Retail Leader. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
- ^ Unglesbee, Ben (October 11, 2019). "Walmart's topsy-turvy week ends with the exit of US chief". Retail Dive. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
- ^ Berkowitz, Ben; Allen, Mike (2025-11-14). "Walmart CEO Doug McMillon retiring, succeeded by John Furner". Axios. Retrieved 2025-11-15.
- ^ Cavale, Siddharth (2026-01-19). "Walmart reshuffles execs ahead of global CEO rotation". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2026-01-20.
- ^ McKay, Serenah (January 20, 2022). "Walmart exec gets federation board spot". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
- ^ "Leadership". Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. Archived from the original on August 29, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2020.